Brave As A Noun
by Hajabeg
Summary: "I'll never forget you." The blonde said firmly, unquestionably. And just like that, the evil claw that was squeezing Rachel's heart disappeared, giving way to warm, hopeful and unconditional love. "You are one of my best friends, and I love you."
1. Chapter 1

_**Brave As A Noun**_

The first time Rachel Berry walked through the doors of Grand Central Station, she was entirely heartbroken.

It was just a week after graduation and her world was, unbelievingly, crumbling to her feet. She was completely alone in New York and feeling extremely bittersweet because some of her most desired dreams were coming true at the same time that others –equally wanted– were dying.

Yes, she was finally on the right path to Broadway, but it wasn't how she had expected it to be.

At all.

Kurt didn't get into NYADA and he wasn't coming to New York with her. And neither was Finn. Her fiancée didn't get into the school he wanted, which also meant that he wasn't going to come to Rachel's dream city with her. And as if that weren't enough, Finn also canceled their wedding, broke up with her and enlisted in the army to try and repair his father's honor.

All in the same day.

Therefore, the first month Rachel spent in her new apartment a few blocks from her new school –she didn't want to get a room in the dorms just in case Finn changed his mind– were understandably beyond awful.

Rachel's mopping state didn't last too long, though, because Santana Lopez showed up one day in her doorstep, and changed the diva's life the moment she stated she was there to stay.

* * *

_The insistent buzzing of her apartment door managed to pull Rachel out of her horrible nightmare._

_Once again, Finn was being killed in the battlefield right in front of her eyes. It was the same dream she had been having, over and over again, ever since Kurt had let it slip that Finn was already in Georgia for his period of training. Rachel knew that she was being stupid, really, but she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that took over her whenever she thought about Finn being surrounded by weapons and anything related to war._

"_Berry, open the damn door, I ain't got all day."_

_As soon as the brunette heard the voice of the person at the other side of her apartment's wall, Rachel's lids snapped open and she was out of the bed in a second. Breathless and with wide eyes, the brunette opened the door just to come face to face with someone she never thought she would see so soon after graduation and the start of her new life. _

"_Santana?" she asked, stepping aside to let the girl pass by her but staring – still shocked– at her high school friend. "What are you doing here?"_

_The Latina rolled her eyes and walked into the place carrying two big bags. "Moving in, obviously." _

"_I'm sorry–" Rachel mumbled confusedly, still half asleep and not really catching up with the ex Cheerios' words. "What?"_

"_I wasn't aware that pathetic weeping also provoked hearing loss." Santana commented lightly. She hopped into the couch in the living room and put her feet on the coffee table across from her, sighing happily when she found herself finally feeling comfortable and relaxed. "I'm going to break it down for you, tiny Barbra." _

"_Please, do." Rachel said, almost sarcastically. _

_The brunette took a seat next to Santana and stared at her friend half intrigued and still surprised. _

"_I decided not to take the cheerleading scholarship."_

"_Why not?" Rachel asked genuinely, but she regretted it immediately when the Latina glared at her so hard that she thought she was about to drop dead in the middle of her apartment. "You don't have to tell me if you don't…"_

"_Of course I won't tell you if I don't want to do it, after all, it's not of your damn business." Santana said, although her voice sounded less harsh than her words. "I didn't go to Louisville because that wasn't my dream." She explained softly. "I know I'm not as driven as you are, or as smart as Quinn is, or as talented as Mercedes or Kurt but I do have a dream, and I want to fight for it."_

_Their gaze met, and for the first time since she met Santana Lopez, Rachel saw in her eyes a determination that almost made her smile proudly for her friend._

"_My mom had some money saved as my college found and she gave it to me so I would do whatever I wanted with it. I got into a few singing courses at NYU and Brittany's cousin got me a night job in his sport bar just a few blocks away from the university."_

"_That's great, Santana!" Rachel said sincerely, beaming. "And I am seriously proud of you for being brave enough to follow your dreams."_

"_Thanks." The Latina mumbled, and once again, the diva saw in her friend something she had never before seen on her: hesitation. "Anyways, Kurt told Mercedes, who told Sam, who told Puck, who told Quinn, who told Brittany who told me that you had a two bedroom apartment outside campus and that you were currently alone because of what happened and so, here I am… ready to move in, pay rent and be your new roommate."_

"_Wait a second." Rachel turned to fully face her high school friend and raised her eyebrow, completely ignoring the fact that apparently all the Glee Club was currently aware of her current situation and saying. "You want to live with me?"_

"_Yeah, I mean, we would have to put on some rules and stuff but you and I, together in New York City of all places… It would be fun, right?"_

_The ghost of a smile lifted Rachel's lips. "Are you being serious right now?"_

"_Well, I have my bags with me, don't I?" Santana asked, rolling her eyes but smiling back. "Even though I'm pretty sure the first couple of months will be hell, yes, I do want to be your roommate, Rachel tiny Barbra Berry."_

"_Then I guess I won't be alone anymore." The brunette replied, smiling even wider. "I'm going to hug you now, okay?"_

"_If you must." Santana replied, although this time, the sarcasm and the classic roll of her eyes were replaced with a warm tone and small smile. "Just make it quick." _

_Beyond happy because of the permission granted, Rachel leaned over the couch and took the Latina in her arms, squeezing her tightly before letting her go and standing up to walk to the kitchen. After just a minute, the diva came back with a notepad and a key._

"_Alright, I think we should work on the rules before I give you this." Rachel said, putting the key in the coffee table and knocking Santana's feet off it in the process. _

"_Hey!"_

"_First off: no putting your feet in the coffee table."_

_The Latina glared at her friend, shrugging and saying. "Alright, then… no more weeping about your break-up with Finn."_

"_You can't dictate how I feel!" Rachel replied, outraged._

"_And you can't _dictate_ where I put my feet, hobbit!" Santana spat back with a mocking tone, pulling them over the coffee table once again._

"_No insults, either!"_

"_I'll stop them when you stop telling me what to do!"_

"_Ugh!" The diva let out a frustrated sigh, glared at Santana for a second and then started laughing. "Okay, you have to admit it, this will either be the best or the worst idea we had ever had."_

_Amused, Santana raised an eyebrow and smirked before saying. "I guess time will tell, then."_

* * *

It was a very sunny day in New York when she finally got to her apartment that afternoon. Santana was lying down in the couch when Rachel opened the door with her foot, carrying all her groceries while trying to keep her purse on her shoulder.

"Santana, can you please help me out?"

"Oh, tiny Barbra is in the house." The Latina replied with mocked joy. "And you don't need my help; after all, from where I am, you are managing just fine."

"Ugh!" Rachel groaned, letting the bags on the kitchen counter. "You're the worst person ever, Lopez."

"So they say, Berry."

"_That's not true._" A third voice said, and it was only then when Rachel realized that Santana had a laptop on her lap. "_Santana hasn't been mean to you since the first half of your senior year, Rachel._"

"Hello to you, Brittany." The brunette greeted, walking to the living room and dropping next to her roommate on the sofa. "How's the summer treating you?"

"_It's going amazing!_" The dancer replied with a cheerful tone. "_I mean, I miss Santana a lot and I would probably cry every night if it weren't for the fact that my amazing girlfriend always calls me before I go to sleep and sings to me so I won't have big, ugly nightmares._"

"Britt-Britt…" Santana warned her softly, but Rachel could see the bittersweet glint in the Latina's eyes. It was more than obvious that she missed Brittany too.

"_Oh, right! Anyways, I spent most of my days with Quinn._" The girl informed them, and immediately, Rachel's ears perked up even more. "_We did a lot of great and fun things together! Like, she took me to the movies every weekend and I took her to the fair a couple of times. And then I taught her some new dance steps and went with her to doctor's appointments and in return, Quinn helped me study a lot so that I would be ready for the next school's year. Oh! …And we also spent a lot of time with the New Directions' members that stayed here in Lima. Like, one time Puck took us to a really fun concert. Then went out bowling – but only occasionally– with Kurt, Sugar, Blaine, Sam and Rory._" Brittany was talking excitedly and she looked so much like the girl that would randomly burst out dancing into the choir room that Rachel couldn't even fight the smile taking over her face.

And then, everything changed again.

The realization that she missed all her friends –_a lot_– hit her with the force of a train going at full speed. To be honest, Rachel was extremely shocked, and embarrassed, to notice that –since she threw herself into her summer classes to forget about everything that was currently hurting her– aside from Santana, she had stopped any kind of contact, involuntarily, with every other member of their Glee club.

Rachel knew absolutely nothing about what was going on with them and she felt awful for it.

"_But then I started cheerleading camp with Coach Sue and I couldn't hang out much with her._" Brittany kept going, not noticing Rachel's deep frown. "_But that wasn't too bad either because Quinn didn't get bored since she used her free time to learn how to play mini-golf with Joe._" At the mention of teen Jesus's name, the tiny singer couldn't help but feel as if someone had suddenly tied her stomach into a stupid knot of awkwardness and discomfort.

It was a weird feeling, and although it wasn't exactly foreign to her, the brunette decided to ignore it.

"That sounds like a lot of fun, Brittany."

Santana stared at her with narrowed eyes, but Rachel just pursed her lips and looked away.

"_I know!_" The blonde replied, jumping up and down but then stopping just as fast as she started. "_Which is why I am really sad today because Quinn left town and now I won't have anyone to explain the movies with real people to me._"

"Wait a second…" Rachel said, looking from Santana to Brittany. "Quinn moved to New Haven already?"

"_Well, I don't think she's there yet, right San?_" The blonde asked her girlfriend.

"You're probably right. I mean, I got here like 30 minutes before Rachel, so yeah, I guess her train hasn't left yet."

"Do you mean that you–?" Rachel gaped at Santana and then gave the Latina such a deadly glare that Santana had to fight the instinct of looking away. "You were with Quinn today?"

"Yeah, she texted me last night that she wanted to meet for a coffee before she had to go so I just…"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me anything, Santana? And why aren't you with her if she hadn't left yet? And why didn't Quinn want to meet me, too? Did she even ask about me? I mean, I thought she considered us friends and she even gave me a train ticket to–"

"Whoa, Berry!" Santana stopped her rant, putting a hand in the shoulder of the fired up brunette. "Take a freaking break." She said, chuckling under her breath. "You haven't rant like that since the day you called me super stressed out because you missed your subway stop and therefore got lost, ending up in the Bronx."

"_Santana–_" the girl muttered through clenched teeth.

"Listen, Rachel… I'm not with her because I knew Brittany was going to call, and you know that nothing gets between our Skype dates. Seriously." The Latina looked lovingly at her girlfriend before adding. "Quinn wanted to meet you, she did, and she even texted you about it –_several times_–. And I told you last night that I was going to meet her for breakfast today, but you were so caught up on the presentation for your dance class that you didn't even pay attention to me or_–_"

"…my phone." Rachel finished for her friend. "Oh my God!" She stood up quickly, grabbed her purse and turned to Santana. "I'm going to try and catch her, I mean, I want to see her so bad and I don't want Quinn to think that–"

"Rachel."

"Yes?" the brunette asked, standing by the door and looking at her best friend with big, wide eyes.

Santana didn't even try to stop the imminent rolling of her eyes at the anxious state in which her roommate currently was. "You better run, because her train leaves in half an hour."

"Shit." It was the last thing Santana heard her roommate say before the flash of brown hair disappeared behind the door.

As she crossed from one side of New York City to the other, Rachel wondered why she was feeling so extremely anxious. To be honest, she knew the whole situation was actually not that big of a deal. Quinn would totally understand Rachel's busy schedule and the misunderstanding would get settle with just a phone call and the promise of getting coffee and tea together the next time they were in the same time; either New York of New Haven, that wouldn't matter.

Rachel knew that Quinn wouldn't get upset over the fact that she didn't get to see her, after all, it was highly likely that they would be seeing each other again in three weeks, tops. But for some reason that even Rachel couldn't entirely comprehend, she needed to see Quinn that day.

* * *

The second time Rachel Barbra Berry set foot on Grand Central Station, she missed the train.

It took the brunette exactly 28 minutes and 13 seconds –between running through the streets, people and subway stops– to get from her apartment to the entrance of the train station. But by the time she got to the platform, the train to New Haven had already parted, taking Quinn away from her with it.

And it was then when it hit her, like someone suddenly punching her straight in the gut –not that she knew the feeling, but you know, metaphors were always important–; the reason why she needed to see the blonde so badly.

All along, Rachel had wanted to see Quinn because she missed the way in which the girl's stunning hazel eyes captivated her whenever they stared at each other. Rachel wanted to see Quinn because she needed to hug her like she needed to watch _Funny Girl_ at least twice a week. The brunette wanted to see her friend just to say… not _goodbye_ but rather a _see you soon, Quinn!_

But more importantly, she needed to tell the blonde to not forget her.

Feeling extremely disappointed with herself and almost about to cry, Rachel pulled out her cellphone, winced when she saw Quinn's texts, and then dialed the blonde's number.

The phone ran two times before the voice Rachel Berry had been wishing to hear for more than a couple of weeks –but that she never really gathered the courage to reach out for– answered with a soft: "_Hello?_"

"Quinn… hi…" Her friend's name escaped the brunette's lips in a quiet way: softly, shy, almost like a whisper… but still there.

Always there.

The brunette heard a surprised gasp, and then, "_Rachel!_" the immediate reply was full of happiness and relief. "_I was beginning to think that you were ignoring me!_" Quinn said, entirely playfully; although her tone didn't change anything. Her innocent words still managed to make the brunette's chest hurt. "_Where were you yesterday, miss Berry? I wanted to see you so bad!_"

The tiny girl let out the air she didn't know she was holding. Quinn had wanted to see her just as badly.

Quinn missed her too.

_Ok, Rachel. Take deep breaths, in and out, in and out. Quinn's your friend; she had been for over a year now. She's not mad, she's just really happy to hear you. Be strong, and just tell her, tell her not to forget you._

"I'm so sorry, Quinn." Rachel started, apologizing sincerely. "I've my final project for my summer dance class next week and I haven't really been out of the studio. I was particularly frustrated last night with some of the steps and didn't pay attention to my phone at all. When I got to the apartment Santana tried to tell me something but I ignored her completely because I wasn't in the mood to be mocked; and by the time I left this morning she was still asleep." She explained quickly. "I swear, I didn't know you were coming, in fact, I'm at the station right now because I came as soon as they told me and…"

"_Hey, Rach–_" the blonde cut her off softly. "_Breathe…_" Quinn's voice, which surely was the exact copy of the sound of angels, smoothed her until Rachel felt her shoulders relax. "_It's okay, I understand that you're rather busy with school and classes and the New York life._" The girl chuckled softly. "_I'm not mad. I promise, is not a big deal._" Her friend reassured her. "_We'll see each other soon._"

"I know." Rachel breathed into the phone, walking out of the station and already disliking the place that had taken her friend away from her. "I just–"

She trailed off, unable to voice what she really wanted to say.

_Come on, out with it! She's not Finn. She won't leave you, not after what you have been through together. Quinn's the friend that went out of her way to get you tickets, just to keep being in touch with you… Just. Say. It!_

"Quinn… I–" feeling her throat close on her once again, Rachel just sighed and said with forced cheerfulness. "I'm sure that Yale is going to be amazing." And then, more sincerely, she added. "Embrace what's to come with open arms, Fabray, because your new life is going to be everything you deserve and more."

"_It already is._" Quinn replied so quietly that Rachel could almost swear that the girl was silently crying. "_And Rach?_"

"Yes?"

"_I'll never forget you._" The blonde said firmly, unquestionably. And just like that, the evil claw that was squeezing Rachel's heart disappeared, giving way to warm, hopeful and unconditional love. "_You are one of my best friends, and I love you._"

Are those butterflies fluttering in her stomach? Is the sun actually shining so bright that she can't even see ahead of her? Has the slow but unstoppable arrival of the fall always smell so wonderfully?

Rachel didn't know, and she honestly didn't care.

"_You're stuck with me for life, so, don't even think for a second that you're getting rid of me just because I'm going to study in another city!_"

At this, Rachel couldn't help but laugh; because not everything in her life was darkness now and Quinn was, slowly, showing her a glimpse of all the light that was waiting for her, if only she'd give herself the chance to reach for it.

"And let all the effort –and years!– of me trying to be your friend go to waste by distancing myself from you?" Trying to control the laughter –not the funny kind, more like the shocked, relieved one– caused by her own words and thoughts, Rachel added. "In your dreams, Fabray!"

Quinn, who had been laughing too all along, stopped suddenly when she heard the last thing her friend had said.

"_No._" the voice at the other end of Rachel's phone call breathes out. "_Not even in my worst nightmare._" Quinn's tone sounds so serious that it doesn't leave space for questioning.

And so, Rachel doesn't.

It is only after a rude woman violently pushed her out of the way that Rachel realized that Quinn had finally ended their call, and that a text from said person was already waiting for her.

_Skype date tonight, right? I want to show off my dorm and you have yet to give me a tour of your apartment! xoxo_

And before Rachel even knows what exactly was happening, she finds herself beaming widely; because yes, it does feels like the light she desperately needs so much is just at her fingertips… and now, thanks to Quinn Fabray, Rachel's pretty sure that it's only a matter of time before her hand is finally forming the fist that will yank away the curtain that is currently separating her from the golden star that constantly illuminates her life.

* * *

_**Here's a part of your birthday present, Mary, you better enjoy it! **__**And also, thank you so much to everyone else that read this, I hope you liked it as well. xoxo Hajabeg**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Brave As A Noun**_

"I passed!" Rachel proclaimed as soon as the studio's door closed behind her. "My professor said I passed!"

Santana, who had been there all along to support her roommate on her exam, stood up, grinning. "For real?"

"Yes!" The tiny brunette exclaimed, jumping into the open arms of her already new best friend, and then quickly pulling back to add, "She said that she honestly loved what she saw of me today, but that I needed to practice some more on my ballet technique because I'm not even on a medium level, but that's just–" Rachel stopped, mid-rant, when she noticed over Santana's shoulder, a head of blonde hair looking amusedly at them from just a couple of steps away. "Quinn!"

Overjoyed by the surprise, the brunette left her roommate's personal space and shamelessly threw herself into Quinn's arms. "Hi there." The blonde muttered into thick, brown hair, squeezing back just as hard.

"And just like that, I'm easily replaced." Santana said loudly enough for both girls to hear, rolling her eyes when they ignored her, yet inwardly pleased with Rachel's reaction to Quinn's presence and vice versa.

"What are you doing here? When did you get to New York? Why didn't you tell me you were–" Rachel's eyes opened big; and when the blonde saw how adorable her best friend's pout was, she couldn't repress anymore the laughter that she had been holding up. "This is serious! Don't you dare laugh at me, Quinn Fabray!" The diva said, genuinely upset. "I swear to Barbra that if I have another missed text from you on my cellphone when I check, I am going to–"

"Relax, Rachel. I didn't text you this time, I promise." Quinn calmly said, taking the smaller girl's shoulders and squeezing them reassuringly. "You have been talking about this presentation all week… and I kind of felt like I needed to be here… you know, be present for something that's so important to you and all that." The blonde admitted, blushing slightly. "Santana picked me up a couple of hours ago and we came together to the studio. I– umm, I wanted to surprise you at the end of your exam because I knew you were going to do great, and therefore, the respective celebrations would be in order and I though it would be more fun if I was here for it and I just…" trailing off, Quinn couldn't help but blush harder. She put some of her hair behind her ear and stared intensely at Rachel, hazel eyes shining brightly.

Santana laughed because of how hilarious her nervous friend was being and Rachel glared at her. She honestly thought that Quinn was nothing short of adorable at the moment.

"I would love to go and celebrate with you, Quinn." Rachel finally said, putting the blonde out of her misery and taking the blonde's hand in hers. "We're best friends now, remember? We can stop being nervous around each other."

"Please, don't." Santana said, still laughing. "Seriously, don't stop. It is hilarious to just stand back and watch you both become a train wreck when it comes to speaking with the other."

"Bite me, Lopez." Quinn said through clenched teeth.

Amused, the Latina rolled her eyes and then put a hand over her best friend's shoulders, saying. "Glad to know you haven't lost your inner HBIC persona!"

"Oh, that wouldn't be possible." Rachel chipped in, intertwining her arm with the blonde's on the side that wasn't already occupied by Santana. "The thing is… Quinn's a lost case, you know? That attitude it's already on her blood…" The brunette looked to the side and winked playfully at a falsely offended blonde. "And I'm afraid there's no cure for it."

"Oh, I see…" Quinn mumbled; and then louder, just so Santana could also hear it, she added. "Well, what are you two waiting for, then? I'm starving, and I need dinner now!"

At this, Rachel actually stumbled on her way out of the door, and if it weren't for Quinn's firm hold on her, she would have surely fallen. "Thanks," she said to the blonde quietly, glad that Santana wouldn't have another item for her '_list of stuff I can make fun of Tiny for…_' Honestly, her roommate could come up with the most ridiculous things sometimes. "But you just told me that you wanted to take me out to celebrate!"

"Yeah, I did, but that was before you and Santana decided to gang up on me!" Quinn protested, immediately moving out of way of the Latina's deadly elbow when she saw it coming. "Hey, don't hit me!"

"Stop being a whiny ass bitch." Santana spat, managing to hit the back of her best friend's head. "It doesn't suit you at all!"

Growling, the blonde turned around, ready to strike back.

"Alright, girls…" disentangling herself from Quinn's arm, Rachel decided to cut in, not wanting to keep going with the teasing because the situation was already becoming physical. "Listen–" the brunette walked until she was a few steps ahead of her friends and then twirled around, walking backwards and giving them the best wicked smirk she could come up with. "Why don't we go just to a bar and get wasted?"

Bickering quickly being forgotten, both Santana and Quinn turned to look at Rachel so fast, that the brunette feared their necks would break right there and then.

"Who are you…?" The Latina started to say, eyes open wide.

"…and what have you done with our Rachel Berry?" the blonde finished her best friend's sentence, jaw dropped.

Rachel let out wholeheartedly laugh, conveniently ignoring the possessive pronoun, and said. "We're young, beautiful and independent women in need of some serious celebration." She explained, eyes shining brightly. "I mean, this is our life now and I believe it's pretty great, therefore, we have to make the best of it!" She threw her arms in the air. "We are in New York City!"

"Let's get wasted, then!" Quinn yelled happily, also throwing her arms in the air and even doing a ballet twirl.

"Come on, pretty ballerinas." Santana spoke, taking her friends by the arms and pulling them forward. "I know just the right place for 18 years-old to get drunk as hell without anyone bothering them."

* * *

When Quinn woke up the next day, the tiny man living in her head was playing the bongos as loud as possible. The clear brightness of the daylight bothered her to no end –even through her closed eyes– and the rigidness of the couch was killing her back.

"Ugh!" she moaned, throwing a hand over her face to shield her vision from unwanted, shiny colors. "What the hell happened last night?"

"For starters, I haven't seen you but I can already tell that you look like shit."

"Don't. I'm not in the mood for you crap because I feel like a truck jus ran over–" as soon as Quinn realized what she was saying, she cut off the sentence and said. "Yeah, definitely too soon for that."

"Good morning to you too, bitch." Santana said with a bored tone from somewhere in the kitchen. Slowly, Quinn lifted her head and attempted to glare at her friend, but she failed miserably because of her huge hangover. "I told you to stop drinking last night." The Latina said, smirking widely when she finally caught sight of the blonde's state. "But you were going on and on about how it was your time to be yourself and feel free and just go for…"

"Oh my God!" Quinn's eyes opened fast and wide. She looked terrified when she started at Santana and asked. "Last night…" she licked her lips, nervous. "Did I say something to Rachel that I shouldn't have said?"

Santana stared at her, unreadable, and when Quinn was starting to think she had in fact screw it up, the brunette asked her. "I don't know, Q… is there something that you shouldn't say to her?" The wariness on Santana's voice took her completely by surprise, and it also scared her a bit.

"Why do you care?" The blonde couldn't help but snap at her. Something inside her switched immediately, and before she knew it, the girl was acting possessive and suspicious. Her walls were up in a second and Quinn felt like part of herself was back to feeling the same way she felt about Santana at the start of their junior year.

But the thing that was bugging her certainly wasn't the Latina's attitude. No. It all came down to a simple question… since when did Rachel become so important to Santana? At least important enough that the feisty ex-cheerleader felt like defending the petite girl over her own best friend?

"I honestly don't want to fight with you." Santana said, weirdly calm, possibly sensing the change in the air. "I just want to help you, Q."

She knew that her friend was telling the truth, but Quinn wasn't ready to say anything yet. The girl needed more time to come to terms with herself. If she didn't want to hurt anyone, she totally needed to be sure about what she really wanted first.

Their eyes met, and apparently the Latina saw something in her friend's hazel gaze because her shoulders dropped right away. Letting out a defeated sigh –something Quinn could swear that she has never seen Santana Lopez do– the brunette reached for a cup of coffee on the kitchen and said. "Do you want it with milk or without?"

Narrowing her eyes at her friend's strange behavior, Quinn shook her head but immediately regret it. Every single one of her muscles was aching and her head wouldn't stop throbbing in a very annoying and tiring way.

"I will seriously trade you the coffee for some aspirin right now." She mumbled, letting her head fall on back on the couch and taking her phone out of the backpack at her feet. "My head is killing me."

"I figured as much." Santana said, popping up besides Quinn with a glass of water, some pills and the cup of coffee. "Drink it, the caffeine will take some of the headache away."

"Thanks." After taking the aspirins, she took a small sip and couldn't help but hum, pleased. "This tastes amazing, S… when did you learn to prepare coffee?"

Santana rolled her eyes. "It doesn't take a village, Quinn." And then, she added. "My boss taught me how to di it because, it turns out, sometimes people does actually asks for coffee on bars."

"No way!"

"Oh, you would be surprised, Blondie!" Santana pushed her shoulder slightly and then stood up. "I'm going to take a bath and then we'll go to Central Park until you have to get back to the station, alright?"

"Sounds good to me." Quinn mumbled, too busy enjoying her coffee.

"Yeah, yeah…" The brunette pointed to a closed door and then said. "I know she drank almost as much as you, but I swear, not even being hangover does Rachel ever stays in bed pass 10am." Santana tilted her head to the side and confessed. "I'm actually quite surprised."

Quinn chuckled. "That's a first."

"Whatever." The brunette mumbled, and then pointed to the door again. "I'm not dealing with anything that waits at the other side, so… you go and wake up Rachel."

The blonde saw her friend disappear behind the bathroom door, –all traces of whatever had bothered the girl about the Latina before were, luckily, already long gone– and Quinn couldn't stop herself from smiling fondly when she thought about how much Santana had changed.

Changed for good.

She was putting the cup down and was on her way to Rachel's bedroom when her phone chirped with a new Facebook notification. Curiously, she opened her the website just to roll her eyes when she realized that it was her, once again, asking her to play some farm game with her.

Quinn was in the process of closing her phone was again when something in her feed caught her attention. Well, it was a status rather than just a simple something.

**Finn Hudson:**_ Had a gr8t night…! Mandy knows how 2 make u dance real well… whoa, who would've thought that gettin' down with the army was gonna be so cool?_

The blonde read the jackass's status again, and again, and again… and with every time her eyes scanned the words, she grew angrier.

How could he do such an idiotic thing? Honestly, Quinn simply couldn't believe Finn's nerve.

Yes, sure, one thing was to have some fun –he was indeed single, after all– so it was perfectly allowed for him to enjoy himself with other people. But another completely different was to announce what he had been doing in a public social network; more specifically, to talk about it –while sounding incredible happy– in a place where his ex girlfriend –the same girl that was still very much in love with him– could see it so easily.

Oh, to say that Quinn wanted to bite Finn Hudson's head off at the moment would be the biggest understatement ever made. That would have to wait, though; now the priority was Rachel.

The blonde took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and then opened Rachel's bedroom door. "Rach?" Quinn called softly, not wanting to startle the brunette by taking her by surprise. "Come on, you have to get up already." Trying to see through the darkness of the room, she took another step closer. "Honey, it's time to wake up."

"You have never called me honey before." Rachel spoke clearly from somewhere besides Quinn, startling the blonde.

"Oh, good, you're already awake."

"I never sleep pass 8am." The reply was instant, closer.

"Why haven't you turn up the lights, then?" Quinn asked, trying to locate herself in the room. "I honestly don't even know where's the switch… and where the hell are you, Rachel?"

The blonde let out a nervous laugh. The darkness always reminded Quinn of her last conscious thought after the car crash and, since them, it always made her uncomfortable and extremely anxious whenever she happened to be in a closed and dark place.

"Seriously, Rach, just turn on the light because…"

"You saw his status, didn't you?" The question, although it was to be expected, took Quinn completely by surprise. The girl had thought that Rachel hadn't seen anything yet, since she sounded so normal whenever she spoke, but now…

"I just did." Quinn confessed. "But really, I think Finn's a son of–"

And then Rachel Berry's soft, and very aggressive, lips suddenly cut off whatever else was about to get out of her mouth. Quinn gasped, entirely surprised, but Rachel didn't stopped kissing her. They stumbled backwards because of the impact and before she could even register what was going on, Quinn's back was hitting the bed and Rachel's mouth was devouring her jaw, neck, and pretty much every inch of skin she could reach.

"Rach…" the blonde said, breathless. "What are you–?"

Again, the persistent brunette swallowed Quinn's word. This time, Rachel kissed her more fiercely, more wantonly… almost as if she was trying to make a point, to herself or to the blonde, Quinn wouldn't know. What she did know, though, was that the kiss felt as if Rachel were trying to make a huge impression on her; as if she were putting all her effort in that single kiss, just so the blonde would never forget her lips.

Quinn shook her head and tried to push her away; something in the back of her head was screaming at her that Rachel wasn't okay. Not at all.

"Rachel, stop–" the blonde said as soon as they broke the kiss to get some air into their lungs. "Please… just, stop."

There was a silent minute of complete stillness and then Rachel was hastily removing herself from on top of Quinn and turning up the lights.

"Why did you stop?" the brunette asked, hurt obviously present in her words. "I thought…" Rachel swallowed, and it was then that Quinn noticed how incredibly broken she really was. "What's going on, Fabray?" the singer demanded to know, almost in tears. "Am I not good enough for you? Am I not good enough for anyone to stick around?" the brunette said, even louder. "Do you not want me anymore?"

As soon as the words escaped her, and the anger decreased enough to make her think more clearly about what she had said, Rachel realized how much she had truly screwed it up. "Oh my God…" She gasped, put a hand over her mouth and took a few –but hesitant– steps forward. "Quinn, I swear to you, it's not like–"

"Stop." The blonde said again, although this time it was in a completely different manner. "Don't even dare come near me."

While she stumbled out of bed, and in just a matter of seconds, Quinn's features transformed completely. The sadness and concern from moments ago was entirely gone; in fact, it was easily being replaced by coldness, disappointment, hurt and anger.

"Honestly, Rachel, I thought you had changed… I mean, I know you wouldn't exactly turn into the most selfless person in the planet –I wasn't expecting that– but I really did thought that at least you cared enough for the people that loved you."

"No, it's not like that, Quinn just let me…"

"You're my best friend, someone I trust… and you just… you used me, Rachel!" The blonde finally blew up. "You didn't care about how I felt, you didn't think about what this could do to our friendship, and you didn't even care about how I could possibly be affected by that stupid kiss… you just went for it! And to tell you the truth, I would have been totally okay with you kissing me if it weren't for the fact that I know you just did it because you wanted to prove to Finn that you could also _have fun_, that you could also be wanted by someone else."

"Quinn, please…" Rachel whispered when she saw the blonde walk towards the living room.

"I promise myself that I would love me enough to never again be second best. After what went down with Finn, you and me… I don't want to–" the girl trailed off, picking up her backpack and trying to hold back the imminent tears. "I'm not a rebound, Rachel."

"I know that. I do!" the brunette spoke firmly, but Quinn ignored her, already walking towards the apartment's door. "What are you doing?" Rachel asked her with wide, tearful eyes. "You don't need to go… can we just… let's talk about this– please, I'm sorry, I was angry and not thinking clearly…"

"That much I know." Quinn said coldly, not even turning around. "You knew, Rachel." The girl then whispered, almost broken. "There's no way you couldn't have known after the day we have yesterday –after all the flirting and soft touched and sweet words– …you knew that I was attracted to you and you took advantage of it." She shook her head, and Rachel's heart broke because she could already feel how disappointed Quinn was in her. "I'm sorry, but I can't be around you… at least not now."

"No!" Rachel cried out, desperate. "You said it… you– you said that I was stuck with you, Quinn Fabray!" She pleaded. "You're my best friend… let's talk about this, please…" When the blonde tightened her hold on the doorknob and opened it, Rachel felt her world crumble. "Quinn… please…"

Rachel's plead made the blonde's chest hurt even more, but she was too upset, too emotionally unstable at the moment to think clearly. "I can't… I'm sorry."

And with that, Quinn closed the door behind her and jumped in the first cab she caught, with an unbearable headache, telling the driver to take her to Grand Central Station.

* * *

_**I was feelings angst-y so... yeah, angsts what you get! I do hope you all enjoyed reading, though! xoxo Hajabeg**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Brave As A Noun_**

A whole week of complete silence between the blonde and her New York friends had passed when the girl's phone started to ring. Quickly reaching for it –since she was in the library– Quinn sighed and picked it up, muttering a very quiet.

"Hello."

"_Okay, I tried playing nice and giving you all the time in the world to call me back, after ignoring all my previous texts, and explain why the hell did you just left your best friend sobbing her eyes out when you exited –quite unexpectedly, might I add– our apartment last week._"

"Like you don't know."

"_No, I don't._" Santana said, sounding just as irritable as the blonde was feeling. "_I asked her why you left but she was too busy crying to answer, and the next day, when I asked her if it had anything to do with the _'Hudson fiasco'_, Tiny only told me that I shouldn't be angry and take it out on you because it was her fault –whatever it was that happened between you two–; but somehow I can't quite believe her words, you know?_"

Quinn huffed at her friend's angry tone because even though she was kind of expecting just that from the Latina, it still pissed her off. "I'm surprise she didn't tell you everything right away… _you know_, since you're so close friends nowadays." She spat out, making a hasty exit and almost running towards her dorm.

Thank God Quinn didn't have a roommate, because something was telling her that this conversation with Santana was not going to end on a good note.

"_Cut the crap, Q._" the ex Cheerio practically growled. "_You damn well know that I started to truly care about Tiny ever since she supported me when Finnept pushed me out of the closet back in school._"

"Just because she made you a Power Point about PFLAG doesn't mean…"

"_Oh my God, Quinn– are you even hearing yourself?_" Santana replied, not in the kindest way. The blonde huffed once again and angrily pushed open the door of her room. "_So what if I'm saying that I like Rachel? Are you telling me that I can't be her friend?_"

"Why are you so protective of her now?" Quinn asked, throwing her backpack to her bed and pacing back and forth across the place. She was trembling with misdirected rage. "You do remember how you treated her, right?"

"_Yeah, right… says the bitch that treated Rachel like trash the first three years of high school._" Santana snapped back. "_You're being ridiculous, really…_" Quinn could almost hear the girl roll her eyes when the Latina added. "_And you seriously do not want to go there with me, Fabray… we both know how nasty it can get._"

The fiery warning in her best friend's tone made Quinn's mind snap out of the blindness caused by her jealousy. She stopped her pacing in an instant and then let herself fall into her bed with a defeated sigh.

"I'm sorry, S–"

"_No, listen,_" Santana cut her off, although the edge in her voice was now gone as well. "_I like Rachel. She took me in when I needed a place to stay and I actually have fun because I have her as my roommate. Tiny is neat and she cooks and she even helps me when I'm feeling particularly sad because Britt isn't here. She made me strong when I was feeling scared, Quinn… so yeah, I'll be protective of her and I'll defend her –even against you if I need to do so– because she's my friend._"

In her room, the blonde let out the air she was holding in and spoke. "I know that, Santana… I just–I was just…"

"_You're jealous of me –even though you know I love Brittany with everything I have and there's no reason for you to be– you are._" The Latina said knowingly. "_It's honestly a waste of emotions, but I know you can't help it, so I'll be generous and I won't give you shit for it… at least today._" Santana chuckled under her breath and then added. "_Now, come on, tell auntie Snix why are you being such a bitch to Tiny._"

"She…" Quinn swallowed, rolled around and then buried her face on her pillow, barely muttering. "Rachel kissed me."

There was a second of silence and then Santana's loud laugh echoed in Quinn's ears.

"_Wait, okay… no… just a second because–_" The Latina could barely speak clearly and that only made the blonde mad.

"This isn't something to be laughing about, S!"

Her best friend snorted and said. "_Come on, Quinn… is this about you being disgusted with what happened? Because I never really thought of you as an homopho–_"

"W–what? No, Santana, of course not!" the blonde quickly reassured her. " I just… it wasn't just a simple kiss… we–we actually made out for a couple of minutes until I pushed her back because –the tiniest, only functional part of my brain– realized that she was just using me to prove something to Finn, or herself, or whatever… and I just…"

At the other end of the line, Santana sighed.

"_I'm not saying that what Rachel did, using you like that, was right; but it wasn't a capital offense, either. She trusts you, and so –even though she did it in the wrong way– Tiny took refuge in you._" The girl tried to reason with her best friend. "_What I don't get is… why does a kiss from her should affect you in any way, Quinn? Can't you just think of it as that time that Brittany kissed you by surprise at a party because I was at the other end of the room making out with Puck?_" Santana asked, trying to ignore the sudden tightness in her chest. "_Brittany was feeling hurt and lonely because of me and the same thing happened to Rachel that morning because of Finn._" The Latina explained. "_She wasn't thinking clearly… I mean, the girl was heartbroken, Quinn._"

"So what? I'm should let her use me as her rebound just because she's sad?" the blonde snapped, entirely offended.

"_No, of course not._" Santana spat back. "_But you damn well could've hold her and let her cry in your arms just like you did with Brittany after what happened._"

Quinn let out a pained whimper and it was only then when the girl realized that she was already crying. "You don't get it!"

"_Then make me understand, Q!_" Santana pushed, trying to get the truth. "_Because the way I see it, you're just overreacting._" The blonde sobbed even harder, and the Latina's heart broke a bit at the sound of her best friend suffering so much. "_Tell me what's going on, Q… there's gotta be something you aren't telling me._"

"No, there's no–" the blonde tried to denied it one more time because she wasn't ready to face it, and accepting the truth would only hurt way too much. "I…"

Sensing the moment of vulnerability her friend was having, Santana gave the final push. "_You guys are each other's absolute best friend, Quinn… why can't you forgive Rachel for her mistake? Why are you so hurt about what happened?_"

Quinn's whole body trembled one more time before she said. "It hurt me because that kiss meant to me more than it should have and definitely much more that it did to Rachel," she quietly admitted. "It hurt me, S, because I love her… I'm in love with Rachel Berry."

Santana's eyes closed with a sympathetic wince, after all, she totally understood what her best friend was currently going through.

"_Well shit, Quinn… just shit._"

* * *

A knock on the door interrupted Rachel's _Funny Girl_ morning that Sunday. The brunette rolled her eyes and then snuggled even further into her couch; since the front door's intercom hasn't ringed, she had a pretty good idea of who it was.

"You have a key, Santana… I refuse to get up to open the door for you again just because you're too lazy to look for it!"

"Actually, no, I don't… S, she kind of forgot to give me the second key so... I'm stuck with the knocking."

"Quinn!" Rachel was out of her seat in a second, running breathlessly towards the door. She threw it open and then stared –jaw open– at the stunning blonde standing in front of her.

Since it was already pass the second week of September, the temperature was starting to descend a little bit. And so, the Ivy League was wearing dark skinny pants, a super cute sweater that hugged her body in a pretty nice way, a pair of very badass looking black boots and a beanie that hid her hair but still didn't managed to catch a few of the hair strands that were getting in the way of Rachel's view and her favorite pair of eyes to ever exist.

"You look amazing." The brunette blurted out, blushing hard as soon as she realized what she had inadvertently said. "I mean, I just… it's… I'm so happy to see you."

"Does that mean that I can come in, then?" Quinn asked, blushing thanks to the warm feeling in her chest caused by Rachel's words.

"Oh, yes– of course!" The brunette stepped aside and then rushed towards the living room after closing the door, picking up a few discarded t-shirts. "Sorry about the mess, Santana had an audition this morning and she just…"

"You don't have to explain her to me, Rach." Quinn said with a small smirk; she was secretly enjoying how nervous her friend was because, somehow, Rachel's anxiety was kind of taking hers away. "I have been to Santana's bedroom plenty of times, I know how that can look when she's in a hurry."

"Oh, yeah, right…" the brunette looked around the whole place before finally looking at Quinn and blurting out. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry and ashamed for what I did. It's true, I was angry and I wasn't really thinking but that didn't give me the right of taking advantage of you in such a disrespectful manner, Quinn. It was all my fault, I was the stupid one that thought it would make me feel better but I only ended up feeling worst and hurting you, breaking your trust. And I understand if you just came here to tell me that you don't want to be my friend anymore, or–or to just, I don't know, slap the crap out of me because I was selfish and–"

"Rachel," the mere sound of Quinn's saying her name was enough to cut the brunette off. "Please, breathe."

"I'm sorry, I'm just– I've been so sad because of…"

"No, no." Quinn cut her off again, motioning with her head the couch. "You already said your piece, and now I'm the one who's going to talk."

"But Quinn," Rachel tried to protest, taking a seat and waiting until the blonde did the same to add. "I wasn't even near done, I know that apologies don't mean much if you keep repeating them, but I need to fix what I did, I have to because–" a pale hand on her arm stopped her rant once again. The brunette looked up and her breath was taken away when she met a pair of stunning hazel eyes staring intensely at her with a whirling of emotions that she couldn't exactly place but that it made her give in nonetheless. "Okay."

"Good." Quinn sighed deeply, as if trying to manage the courage that was already slipping away, and then said. "First, I would never, _ever_, touch your pretty face again like that. What happened back in junior prom was a monumental mistake, one that I will always be ashamed of, so, don't ever say something like that; please."

As soon as she realized how serious Quinn was being, Rachel nodded.

"Second, yes, what you did was wrong but Rach, I forgave you the second your lips connected to mine." The blonde confessed. "I knew you were going to be hurting the second you found out about Finn's status and all I wanted to do was punch pillows if you wanted to be angry or hold you if you wanted to cry… all I wanted, Rachel, was to be there for you as your best friend." Quinn's eyes shone with unshed tears as she choked out. "But then you kissed me and I–I got so, so angry… but I didn't want to hurt you anymore than you already were so I…"

"You left." Rachel whispered, trying to make sense of what her best friend was telling her. "Quinn, we have done worst stuff to each other than what happened a few weeks ago, and I'm not saying that you didn't have a reason but… you never really ran away from me before." The brunette stated, rightfully so. "Not when you got pregnant, not when you gave Beth away, not when Shelby brought her back into your life when she returned to Lima… no matter how hard life was being on you, you never ran away because that's not who you are."

Quinn let out a dry laugh and Rachel's hand itched because of how much she just wanted to reach out and hold the broken blonde in her arms.

"All that stuff… it was never something that I couldn't control."

"What do you mean?"

The blonde smiled at how soft her friend was talking to her and replied. "I never ran away because I was always in control." She explained. "Yes, the pregnancy was a mistake but after the initial shock –and even when I was homeless–, I had already figure out what I wanted to do, what I wanted to happen." Quinn touched the small yellow bracelet that she had in her right arm; it was a gift that Beth had gotten her because she saw it on a fair and thought of her other mom. "I always knew I wasn't ready to have her, that I was not going to be able to give her all she deserved so I knew that –in order for Beth to have a better life, a greater one– I had to give her up."

"But when we started senior year you…"

"I was really messed up, yes, but it wasn't entirely because of the Beth situation, Rachel." Quinn eyes focused on her hands that were moving non-stop on her lap, and then added. "That summer… I realized that I–I… I am attracted to girls."

"A–Attracted to girls like Santana or attracted to girls like Tina?" Rachel asked dumbly. Quinn's eyes snapped up in an instant and she started as her best friend as if she had three heads.

"Is Tina attracted to girls?"

"Well, not attracted per se because she doesn't imagine herself kissing them like Santana does so–" Rachel's rant trailed off as soon as she realized her own confusion due to the surprise. "Oh– you mean like… are you…?"

Quinn nodded gravely. "I'm gay, Rachel." She confessed, eyes drifting back to her hands. "That's why I went crazy back in senior year. I didn't know how to deal with it because I didn't know how it was going to affect my beliefs, or my mom's." The blonde admitted quietly. "I didn't wanted to be kicked out and I didn't have anyone I could trust –Santana was already dealing with her own sexuality and the last thing I wanted was to trouble her with mine– so I rebelled against myself."

Rachel's eyes watered at the vulnerability she heard on Quinn's voice. She was about to reach for the girl's hands and pull her into a hug when the blonde spoke again.

"But then you… Rachel, you were my savior and my curse. All at once."

The brunette pulled back, surprised and hurt. "Your curse? Why would I be–?"

"Like I said before Sectionals, you stopped me from committing the biggest mistake of my life that day." She smiled fondly. "When we were standing on that hallway, only the two of us, I… it was a life-changing moment for me, Rachel." Quinn gripped her own hands tighter. "When I realized that I was actually _listening to you_, that I was letting your words get to me and change the way I was going to act I realized that you… that you meant to me more that I could even imagine."

Rachel's mouth opened, as soon she understood what the blonde was actually trying to say, but no words came out of it. The brunette was trying to overcome her surprise, she was trying to understand what the pleasant warm that had suddenly taken over her chest meant; but mostly, Rachel was trying really hard not to break down crying in front of the girl and beg for her forgiveness because she now knew for sure how much she had really hurt the blonde with a single kiss.

"Oh, Quinn… I am so, so, so damn sorry."

"No–, please don't." the blonde whispered softly. "How could you possibly known that our mutual flirting actually meant something to me? How could you possibly know that every time I look at you and see your smile, the butterflies in my stomach wake up at with full force?" Quinn let out a dry laugh at her own sappiness and finally confessed. "I like you, Rachel." She managed to find the courage to look up and her breath was stolen right away.

Rachel looked simply stunning.

"I like you a lot, Rach, and the fact that you kissed me –something I have been dreaming about since Christmas– because of _Finn Hudson_ hurt so much that I didn't know how to deal with it without hurting you back… so, I ran away." The blonde reached out for her best friend's hands and then squeezed reassuringly. "I was disappointed and angry... and to be honest I'm still a little bit hurt but Rach–" her thumb caressed softly Rachel's hands, trying to make her look up. And when the brunette did, she added sincerely. "I never blamed you because you just didn't know."

They stayed silent, just looking into each other's eyes and trying to figure out what was going to happen next. They were both scared, that was for sure, because neither wanted their friendship to end.

"I'm sorry, still, what I did was wrong and I just…"

"Rachel, no, don't do that… you have already apologize to me and one time is more than enough." Quinn said firmly. "Okay?"

"Okay." She accepted, knowing that it would be worthless to argue with Quinn Fabray.

Rachel cleared her throat, and then stared at her friend, not really knowing if she was allowed to ask what she wanted to know.

"Go on, ask me." As if reading her mind, Quinn pushed the girl shoulder lightly and urged her to say what was on her head. "I know there's a lot going on, but I no longer have anything to hide… I promise I'll be honest."

"How did you…" she drifted off, still unsure. "How did you know that you liked girls?"

Quinn laughed, this time openly and honest. "I was at the Lima Bean, over the summer, when a boy walked up to me." She started to explain, the ghost of a smile still on her lips. "He had dark hair, smooth and white skin and his eyes were the bluest I have ever seen, really." Rachel's eyes narrowed a bit, but she didn't react in any other way. "Anyways, this boy– he was stunning; he was the kind of guy that I would have fallen for in the blink of an eye, back when I started high school and yet… when he asked me out… I wasn't even paying that much attention because I couldn't stop staring at his twin sister, sitting right behind his shoulder."

"You're kidding me?" The brunette gasped, causing Quinn to laugh even harder.

"Oh, no, I assure you that I'm not." She played with Rachel's fingers and then added more shyly. "She gave me her number, we went out a couple of times and… that kind of confirmed to me the fact that I was as gay as Ellen DeGeneres was."

Rachel snorted, leaning her head into the blonde's shoulder. "You're totally more of a Portia when it comes to gay people." The brunette stated. "I mean, I love you and all, Quinn… but your obvious lack of sense of humor –whenever it's involve in a conversation– makes it impossible for you to be Ellen!"

Expecting the blonde to laugh with her, the singer couldn't help but look up when she noticed that Quinn wasn't even moving. "What's wrong?" Rachel asked, chewing her lower lip nervously and then replaying what she had said in her head, searching for something that might have offended the blonde in some way.

_I love you and all, Quinn…_

Oh. There it was.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't– I didn't even–" Rachel stumbled over her words, not really knowing what to say. "Actually, no… I will not apologize because I do love you, as my best friend, I love more than anyone else."

"Rach, please don't…"

"No, you need to hear this if we want our friendship to last; in order for us to move on and be able to actually be friends, we need to be clear about this issue." She explained softly, although Quinn could tell that she actually meant it. "I am sorry for many things." Rachel admitted. "I am sorry for not being able to love you they way you love me. I am sorry that I used you the way I did. I am sorry that I cannot seem to be able to get over Finn… and I am sorry, Quinn, because I know I'll keep hurting you, no matter what I do."

Immediately, the blonde shook her head. "That's not true."

"It is, though, and you know it…" Rachel's eyes filled with tears once again, and she said. "You were right when you said it, Quinn… I only think of myself. All the time, it's just me– and I am so selfish that I will not even give you the time and space that I am certain that you need. I won't let you stay away from me –not without a fight– because the thought of not having one of the most important people of my life next to me hurts too much to even think about."

Moving so quickly that Rachel didn't even see it coming, Quinn wrapped her arms around the girl's neck and then buried her head on dark, thick hair. "I won't run away from you again… I'm not going anywhere, Rachel." The blonde mumbled against her, just as she pulled the girl closer to her.

"We'll get through this… we will… we'll find a way to make it work because what we have is worth it and I simply refuse to lose my best friend." Rachel spoke, hugging her back just as hard. "The past week felt like hell had taken over my life and I just can't– I don't want to feel like that ever again."

"You wont." Quinn whispered, reassuring the girl in her arms. "I'm here." Her hands grabbed Rachel's shoulders, holding onto the girl as if she were about to disappear at any moment. She pulled back and stared into huge, teary and yet breathtakingly beautiful dark eyes. "I'm yours."

Rachel sobbed, now crying even harder. "I'm so sorry, Quinn."

"I know."

"I wish I could–"

"You're not ready yet, honey." Quinn said into her ear, hugging her again. "It's okay."

"I love you, I truly do." Rachel said back, feeling her heart break and mend at the same time.

Quinn smiled, burying her nose in the brunette's head and the giving her the most bittersweet kiss she has ever given. "I love you too."

Rachel stayed in her arms, crying silently for a couple of minutes before she whispered, brokenly and quiet. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Oh Rachel…" Quinn sighed deeply. She was afraid –not really knowing how the future was going to turn out– but she was also entirely sure of her choice. "I'll stay with you for as long you want me because I belong to you."

* * *

_**First, I want to thank you for all your reviews. I wasn't going to post this at first because, since it was a present, I wasn't planning on having other people reading it, but it's now here so... yeah, I appreciate every single one of my readers and their comments on my work.**_

_**Also, I have no idea where this is going so, I'm going to let Quinn and Rachel take over the story just so they will write their own path. With that said... thanks for reading, and until the next one! xoxo Hajabeg**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Brave As A Noun**_

"Santana, do you know where did my dad put the– OH MY GOD, GIRLS!" Rachel screamed, covering her eyes and turning her back to the naked couple the couch of her parents' basement. "Are you guys serious?"

"Well, we are naked, aren't we?" The Latina spat back, completely annoyed because her sexy times had been rudely interrupted.

"Well, excuse you if me walking around my own house causes so much trouble for you." Rachel huffed, still with her back towards them. "Now, if you would please tell me where did I–"

"We're covered, Rach, you can look at us now." Brittany said, smiling amusedly.

"Oh, okay, good." The brunette turned around and peeked through her fingers, finally lowering her hand when she noticed Santana completely hidden behind Brittany while her girlfriend was covering both of them with her daddy's blanket.

Oh, God, she was now going to have to tell them that it needed to be washed.

"What are you looking for, Tiny?" Santana asked when she noticed her best friend getting distracted with her own thoughts. "And it better be worth it!"

"Have you seen my dad's Christmas gif?" Rachel asked, concern written all over her face. "I like to put it under the tree a couple of days before the gift's opening day and I know I brought it here because Quinn was helping me pack and she made sure I did but–"

"Why don't you call her, then?" Santana asked, slightly annoyed.

"I already did." The tiny brunette spat out, suddenly sounding slightly angry and definitely bitter. "But she was already occupied and–"

"Hold up." The Latina cut her friend off, putting her hands on the air. "You're telling me that Quinn Fabray –the very same girl that would drop everything in the blink of an eye to rush towards you if you ever need her– couldn't talk to you because she was _already occupied_?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, hard. "I believe that's exactly what I said, Santana."

"Yes, but you're keeping information from us." Brittany pointed out, knowingly. "What is it?"

Sighing, Rachel played with her hands before replying. "Quinn–she was… do any of you know if Quinn has met someone?"

"What?" Santana was the first one to speak, raising her eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"When I called, earlier today, Quinn picked up the phone in the middle of a laughing fit. And when I asked what was so funny, she just said: _Selene is making the funniest face to me right now, I didn't even know that you could twist your features in such a freaky way! Anyways, Rach, I can't talk now but I'll call you tonight, all right? After all, I want to be the first one wishing my Jewish best friend a Merry Christmas!_" Rachel huffed when she was done impersonating Quinn, feeling upset again. "And then she just hung up on me."

"Oh Rachel…" Brittany sighed, but Santana interrupted whatever else her girlfriend was going to say with an annoyed snort.

"Who's Selene?"

"I don't know!" Rachel snapped. "But whoever that person is, she's obviously more important to Quinn than I am!" The diva crossed her arms and let body fall down, next to the couple on the couch.

Rachel didn't even care that she was actually sitting in their current '_sex bed_' at the moment. She was just too upset.

"Do you think that's why she stayed in New Haven over the Holiday break… to–to be with this Selene person?" The insecurity was so obviously present in the girl's voice that Santana couldn't even bring herself to tease her.

"No, I'm pretty sure it has to do with the fact that Judy hasn't called her since Quinn told her excuse of a mother that she was a pussy lover and wasn't exactly talking about cats."

"Santana!"

"It's true!" the girl shrugged. "Besides, just because Quinn's making a new friend at Yale doesn't mean that she's going to stop being your best friend, Rachel." Santana said, trying to comfort the brunette enough to make her leave them alone.

Honestly, the Latina just wanted her roommate to get the hell out of the basement because Rachel was wasting Santana's '_girlfriend time_' and that was just not acceptable.

"I know that, Satan." Rachel said, exasperatedly. "Quinn will always be my best friend –just like Barbra Streisand being the greatest singer in the world– that's already set on stone… what worries me is– I mean, is she dating this chick? Is she going to go out with her eventually or…?"

"Okay, stop right there." Santana suddenly said, eyes narrowing towards the brunette. "You're not doing this. I won't let you."

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked, genuinely confused.

"You're jealous." Brittany explained easily. "And I'm not talking about the friendship kind of jealousy."

"W–what? No, Britt, that's completely–"

"Don't you even dare to deny it, Tiny." Santana cut her off with a severe tone. The girl really didn't like to mess around when it came to her friends. "You're angry and upset because you don't want Quinn to stop being in love with you and that's not really fair of you."

Rachel's breath got caught in her throat as soon as Santana voiced what she was actually feeling.

It was true.

She was afraid that, if Quinn started dating, she would immediately stop being the main focus of her best friend. She was afraid because maybe, if Quinn stopped feeling the way she felt about the singer, the blonde would actually see how Rachel really was and she would stop being her friend. She was afraid because Quinn's unconditional love was enough to, sometimes, make her forget all about Finn and the void in her chest… but mostly, Rachel was terrified because she was completely sure that –the moment Quinn would get involved with someone else– everything about their precious friendship was going to change.

"I don't want things between us to be different." She admitted. "I don't want her to be with anyone."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes." Rachel spoke, still feeling enormously jealous and angry. "I am known for being selfish, after all."

The Latina snorted, unbelievingly. "Wow, you actually can be a horrible person."

"Santana, please don't be rude." Brittany reprehended her, trying to get her girlfriend to calm down.

"It's not my intention to be," the taller brunette said genuinely, although not sounding even a little bit less angry. "But I think Rachel needs to be reminded of the fact that, while she cries every night because _the amazing_ Finn Hudson doesn't even spares her as much of a hello, the one that holds her and the one that always comforts her is Quinn." Santana spat, making Rachel jump out of the seat in an attempt of protest.

"Do you think I don't–?"

"No, you will shut your mouth and listen to what I have to say." The feisty brunette interrupted her. "We're talking about Quinn, the one that listens to you go on and on about how much you miss Finn –the perfect boyfriend, the love of your life, _the one person you can't live your life if you don't have him by your side_– without even wincing once. Quinn Fabray, _your best friend_, the very same girl that you know, is irrevocably in love with you."

"Stop it…"

"Have you ever paused to think about how hard is it for Quinn to watch the girl she loves suffer because she's in love with someone else that doesn't even deserves her?"

"I–I never really…"

Santana laughed, hollowed and dry. "No, of course not, because all you can think about it's yourself." Brittany put a hand in her girlfriend's shoulder and the Latina backed down a bit. "If you're too busy wasting your time in someone that has brought you more pain that anything else, hey, that's your freaking problem. But you better don't give Quinn a hard time if she ever starts to date because _your best friend_ deserves to try to forget you… she deserves to be happy, Rachel."

"Why can't it just–?"

"Just because she loves you doesn't mean that you own her –even if you do have that kind of power over her–." Brittany added quietly. "As long as you're still hung up on Finn, you will never be able to reciprocate what Quinn feels for you." Santana nodded in agreement to her girl's words. "Yes, you can always have her as your friend but it's not fair of you to ask for more than that. If you can't give the same you take, then you can't stop her from being something more to someone else."

Helplessly, the tiny brunette looked at the couple in the couch for a couple of seconds. She was lost, her emotions were all over the place and her mind couldn't really agree in what hurt more at the moment: Finn's abandonment or the possibility of Quinn actually moving on.

"I'm sorry, I know it hurts you to hears us say these things," Brittany was looking at her with warm, understanding eyes, and suddenly the tightness inside Rachel's chest got even worse. "But that's the truth."

The girl opened her mouth to say something but her phone ringing stopped whatever she was about to tell to her friends.

Rachel's heart started beating like crazy the moment she saw who it was, and she quickly picked up the call.

"Hi, Quinn…" she choked out, looking at Santana with lost, desperate eyes. "How are you?"

"_What's wrong?_" The blonde immediately asked, not even bothering with politeness the moment she sensed the trembling in her best friend's voice. "_Is everything okay?_"

"Yeah… it's just…" the brunette looked around, trying to find a quick excuse. "I–umm…" her eyes focused on the still naked couple and she let out a small laugh as she said. "I walked in on Santana and Brittany going at it like rabbits in the basement and– yeah, Satan wasn't happy about it."

"I'm at hearing distance, hobbit!" Santana yelled angrily, although she was nodding her approval towards Rachel's current reaction to Quinn's call.

"Whatever," the diva spat back. "You owe my parents a new couch."

Quinn chuckled at this, but then she suddenly stopped and said. "_I'm sorry that I blew you off like that this afternoon; I was having coffee with my study group and I wasn't going to be able to pay attention to our call because I was laughing way too much._"

"It's– that's okay, Quinn… it wasn't anything important, anyways." Rachel said, holding back the tears that wanted to fall from her eyes even though she didn't truly know why. "Besides, I'm glad that you were having fun!" the brunette croaked out, more genuinely. "I was worried –since you decided to stay over there and all by yourself in Christmas– that you would feel lonely… so, it's nice to know that you've friends to keep you company."

"_I told you I was going to be alright, Rach._" Quinn giggled softly. "_But yes, I'm actually thrilled about this group because they are all so different from each other but so fun, anyways… and then there's Selene, and she's just, one of the most amazing people I have ever met._"

"Yeah?" Rachel asked, and by now Brittany's arms –after she put on her clothes under the blanket– were already firmly wrapped around her waist. "Why don't you tell me a bit about her?"

Quinn, too excited about telling the brunette all about her new friends, didn't even noticed Rachel's utterly broken tone.

"_Well, Selene is smart, and witty, and sarcastic but not in a Santana kind of way but in an actual _'oh, I love your sarcasm because it's so funny all the time'_ kind of way. She's really, really pretty, I mean, her eyes are to die for and the… wait, this is the best part; she also loves Broadway almost as much as you do! Isn't that amazing?_"

"Yes," Rachel put a hand over her heart and screamed as loud and angrily as possible at her mind to quickly sort out the mess of emotions inside her. She honestly didn't know how much she could take. "That's pretty amazing."

"_Oh, and I haven't even tell you about the time that she–_"

Santana was right, though. Hearing the blonde laugh and talk excitedly about her crush –even though she didn't say anything about it, it was way too obvious– was making Rachel realized that yes: Quinn did deserve to move on, to have a life outside what they had… and more than anything, she really deserved to be happy.

* * *

Rachel was walking out of NYADA in a particularly cold afternoon at the end of January when Quinn called her.

"Hey!"

"_Rach,_" the blonde mumbled, some kind of shock –the pleasant one– evident in her tone. "_She said yes._"

"What–?" the brunette stumbled with her own feet and a couple of people glared at her because they had to jump away from Rachel in order to avoid an imminent crash. "What are you talking about?"

"_Selene,_" more like saying it, Quinn dreamily breathed out the girl's name. "_I asked her out on a date this morning and she said yes!_"

This time, Rachel did stop walking completely. "That's…that's incredibly, Quinn." She finally managed to say, swallowing hard the sudden urge she had to cry. "I'm so happy for you!"

"_I am too._" The blonde admitted shyly, and then, she lunched into a full description of how she had asked the girl and what was she planning to do when the date actually happened.

All the way to her apartment, Rachel stayed on the phone with Quinn, listening to the girl brainstorm ideas and only offering a couple of monosyllabic answers whenever her best friend asked her something. And the blonde was so excited that she didn't seem to mind –or worse, didn't noticed– the singer's sour mood.

That's why, when they finally said goodbye to each other –with Quinn making Rachel promise that she was going to help her out with anything she needed about the date– Rachel was so emotionally drained that she cried herself to sleep.

As she woke up the next day feeling like absolute shit, Rachel Berry finally realized something; Quinn Fabray was one of the strongest people she was ever going to meet. And yes, she was must definitely the bravest, too.

* * *

"I refuse to talk about how my date went at midnight because I have a really early class tomorrow and I need my beauty sleep." Quinn mumbled into her phone, not even bothering to greet her friend but knowing it was Santana because of the ringtone. "Can it wait?"

"It's Rachel," the Latina spoke back, sounding worried. And just like that, Quinn was already sitting on her bed.

"What happened?" the girl asked, running a hand over her face to wash her sleepiness away and then throwing on a pair of jeans. "Santana!"

"I don't know, Q." Her friend admitted. "I just got home work and she was crying non-stop in her room, like really, really, sobbing." Santana explained. "I tried to get her to open the door for me for almost half an hour –hell, I even threatened the shit out of her– but she still didn't open the door for me."

"Keep an eye on Rachel," the blonde instructed her. "It'll take me, tops, like and hour and a half to get there."

"What, you're coming over now?"

"Yes, I am." Quinn replied firmly. "I don't care what time is it; if Rachel needs me, I'll be there for her."

"Okay." Santana sighed, knowing that an argument would be invalid. "Just… please be careful."

"See you in a bit." When Quinn hung up, she was already taking a cab towards the nearest bus station.

It took the blonde almost two hours to make it to New York because, since it was so late at night, it had been kind of hard to find a method of transportation, but not impossible. And by the time she reached the door of the girls' building, Santana was already waiting for her outside.

"She's being stubborn and hadn't let me into her room," the Latina was quick to inform her best friend, taking the stairs two steps at a time. "And I know she's awake because the crying has yet to stop."

"I suppose you don't have a spare key to the room, do you?" Quinn asked, although she already suspected the answer.

"Rachel made one, yeah, but only she knows where the hell she hid it." Santana shrugged nonchalantly, although the worry was still present on her face. "We can always kick the door until it breaks."

Quinn shook her head. "No, just– give me a nail file and then you can finally go to bed."

"What–? Oh, no, I'm not…"

"Santana, I know you're worried about her," the blonde said, smiling softly at her friend. "But you can't stay awake all night; you have a test tomorrow that you can't fail and you need to get some rest... like right now." When the Latina opened her mouth to protest, Quinn interrupted her by raising her hands in a conciliatory gesture. "I promise you that I won't leave her side; I'll be with her all night, morning –afternoon if necessary– and I'll let you know immediately if what she has it's something really serious… deal?"

The ex-cheerleader gave the blonde her best glare and then pulled a nail file out of her hair. "Deal… but you better not break those promises or else I'll go all Lima Heights Adjacent on your ass, Blondie."

"You got it." The blonde nodded. "Now, go to sleep and pass that exam with flying, rainbow colors."

"You're such a lesbian, Fagay."

"Pot meet kettle, sweetheart!" was all the blonde said before Santana disappeared behind her door.

The blonde took a deep breath, faced Rachel's bedroom and then put the nail file on the lock, popping the singer's door open in just a matter of seconds.

"I don't want to talk about it, Santana." Rachel whispered as soon as Quinn stepped into the room. "Please, just leave me alone."

Ignoring the request, the blonde walked further into the room, finally noticing Rachel's body curled into herself over the mess that was currently the girl's bed.

"I told you once that I would never leave you," Quinn started saying, and Rachel immediately turned around, eyes wide open. "I'm definitely not going to break that promise now."

"Quinn!" the brunette sat up on her bed, hastily wiping away her tears. "It's almost 3am… what–what are you doing here?"

The blonde shrugged, smirking at her best friend. "I've always wanted to see how New York looks like when it's time for the sun to rise."

"Something could have happened to you on your way here," Rachel spat; dread taking over her body at the thought of Quinn getting hurt again like that. "That's not funny!"

"Neither is you crying non-stop and worrying Santana Lopez so much –because you didn't want to open the door for her– that she was forced to call me." Quinn explained, staring intensely at her best friend. "And I couldn't just stay in my bed knowing that you weren't fine."

"Well… I am–"

"Yes, you're fine –_obviously_," the blonde rolled her eyes, glancing down at Rachel's bed and then picking up a few of the pictures –all of them had Finn and Rachel together– that were scattered around the place. "Seriously, though… what happened, Rach?" Quinn's question came out so soft and so truthfully concerned that the brunette couldn't help but whimper miserably again.

"Finn's going to Afghanistan." That was all Rachel could let out before she broke down crying again. The blonde quickly rushing to her side, sitting in the bed and hugging her best friend– holding onto her for dear life. "I met Kurt today for our weekly late-lunch date and he told me that Finn just volunteered to go…" she sobbed harder. "Is that even possible? I mean– he just… he just started training and they'll be sending him to war in less than a month and I just– I'm so afraid…"

"I know," the blonde whispered against her ear, moving them slowly until they were both lying on Rachel's bed, wrapped in each other's arms. "I don't know what you're feeling but I do understand what you're going through, Rachel… and if you want to cry all night long, I won't mind." Quinn reassured her. "I am here and I will stay by your side, holding you until you fall asleep." She stroked the singer's hair softly and added. "I will still be holding you when you wake up."

Rachel stared at the short haired Ivy League, her deep and dark gaze full of tears that she didn't want to shed but couldn't really stop from forming either. The brunette wanted to just scream at the top of her lungs because her world was a mess. Rachel wanted to curse Finn with the same intensity that she wanted to tell him that she was still in love with him. She wanted Quinn's pain –caused by her own unreturned feelings– to just stop hurting the blonde. Rachel wanted to convey with her eyes everything she didn't dare to say out loud because it would just be cruel to her best friend.

And mostly, she just wanted not to care.

"How–…" the brunette took a deep breath and tried again. "How do you stop loving someone, Quinn?" Rachel asked, for both of their sakes, and she sounded so broken that the blonde couldn't help but reply with the absolute truth.

"You don't," their eyes met, making Rachel see so many emotions in them –pain, love, despair, hope, longing– that she almost already regretted asking. But she was selfish and she needs an answer… because she didn't want them to be hurting anymore. Not her for Finn Hudson. Not Quinn for her. "You never really get over someone you're in love with… at least not until someone else steals your heart away from them."

The way Quinn said it –bittersweet, like it was something that she both hated and loved to know first hand– snapped something inside Rachel. The awful realization clicked… actually, no, it was more like it hit her right in the face –with the force of a car that goes full speed down the hill just to collide with a big, strong wall at the bottom of it–; and the brunette, living up to her to the big and extremely selfish part of herself, couldn't help but cry even harder.

There was a reason why the blonde always smiled whenever she talked about her new friend, Selene. There was a reason why her hazel eyes shone with happiness and _hope _when she told Rachel about something her… new friend, back in New Haven, had done for her. There was a reason why Quinn no longer came to New York City every weekend, like she always did before, and instead stayed in Yale…

Rachel didn't have to be a genius to know that there was only one explanation to what had been going on for weeks… Quinn Fabray was trying –and apparently already succeeding– to wipe any kind of romantic feelings she had towards her best friend out of her system.

It was as simple as that.

Quinn was letting someone else steal the heart that belonged to Rachel and somehow –and although it was completely unfair of her– that fact alone hurt the brunette more than the current _Finn-situation_ did. It made the girl want to cry. It made her want to be relief. It made Rachel have the sudden urge to grab Quinn and never let her go.

And it also made her feel betrayed.

"H-How… how was it?" the brunette managed to choke out, never wanting to hear the answer but knowing it was something that they both needed to get out of their chest. "I mean… y-your evening w-with Selene?"

Quinn's body went immediately rigid; but Rachel's was already shaking hard enough to make it seem like they were both crumbling down, breaking to pieces. And then the blonde was holding Rachel tighter –pressing the singer against her chest, breathing in her favorite cinnamon essence, always present in her best friend's hair, and holding back her own tears–. Quinn wasn't entirely sure about who she was trying to protect with that embrace. Was it her best friend? Was it herself? Or even maybe both of them? She didn't know for sure… but what she did know, though, was that Rachel couldn't live without her just like she couldn't live without Rachel.

And as Quinn answered, "The date was great," she knew that they were going to overcome this too –whatever it was– because they couldn't stay away from the other even if they wanted to.

No matter how toxic their friendship might seem at the moment, neither was going to run away because they both needed each other way too much to do so.

Rachel was positive that it was always going to be like that.

* * *

_**I come bearing sad news, lovely readers: Since I got a job and I started playing squash again I won't be able to update every week, so I apologize in advance for any kind of delay. And I also want to thank you for reading and commenting on this fic. I'll be answering your reviews this time, in case any of you has any questions or wants to share an opinion! :)**_

_**I'll shut up now, thanks again for reading and until the next time! xoxo Hajabeg**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Brave As A Noun**_

It has been a couple of months since Rachel promised herself that she would fall out of love with Finn; and it has also been the same amount of time since Quinn officially became Selene's girlfriend.

She was putting on her scarf –because even though it's already April, the winds of the city are still really cold– when someone stopped her by the arm.

"Where are you going?" Roland, a guy from her Contemporary Dance class asked her with a wide, beautiful smile. "Please don't say you're going home."

"I was, yeah… –why shouldn't I?" the brunette replied back, not really understanding his classmate. "Did I forgot something in the studio or–?"

Roland rolled her eyes, mildly annoyed but trying not to let it show. "Are you seriously telling me that you aren't going to Cassandra's _'It's almost the end of the semester'_ party?"

"Oh, that…" Rachel pursed her lips and shook her head. "No, I'm not going. Besides, I'm pretty because sure that I'm not featured on list of professor July's favorite people."

The boy laughed and then nudged her forward, making them walk towards the opposite exit Rachel was going to take. "That's not true. We all know that Cassie gives attitude to everyone and she only does it because _'It is what's best for us!' _and because she's sure that it will help us be stronger in the future."

"Maybe so, but still–"

"Just come with me to the party, Rachel." The boy said, beaming at her. "Let me take you as my date."

The girl's first thought was to flat out say no because Quinn was supposed to Skype her that night, they were going to watch a movie together and then they were going to talk about how their school's week has been and how much they missed each other… But Quinn had _texted_ her after lunch that day to tell her that she wouldn't be able to call because Selene, her girlfriend, had bought them tickets to a _one time only_ show that she couldn't miss and that she was sorry.

And she had told her best friend that it was all right, even though Rachel couldn't even focus on anything the rest of her classes. She had texted Quinn back –a couple of hours later– with a message that went along the lines of: "_Don't worry, we'll talk some other time; enjoy your date!_" …And then she had called Kurt and she had cried to him –hidden in one of the bathrooms in the Art wing of NYADA– for not apparent reason.

"Give me a couple of minutes to change?" she finally asked Roland, and the boy smiled so beautifully that Rachel thought that maybe she was doing the right thing; moving on from Finn, and all that.

"Of course!"

* * *

She should have known better.

Rachel should have known –the moment she reached for blonde, silky hair when she was making out with Roland in some stranger's bedroom– that her plan was as idiotic as they came.

The diva didn't need to move on from Finn because she wasn't in love with him anymore, in fact; she hasn't been for a long while.

But Rachel had been too focused on Quinn to actually notice the change of such important factor of her life. Loving and being in love with Finn was something familiar –even when her feelings weren't being returned– it was something that she knew how to do, how to work around it. And that's why the brunette didn't see it coming until it was right in front of her face.

She was so caught up trying to stop Quinn from hurting –again, because of her unrequited feelings– that Rachel hadn't realize that she had actually fell for her best friend in the process.

"Oh my Barbra," she whispered, completely shocked.

On top of her, Roland moaned. "Yes, I know…"

"What…? No, no –get off of me, please." She pushed his shoulders and the boy stumbled backwards, looking at her half confused and half annoyed.

"What's wrong?" he asked, not kindly.

"I have to go, this… I w-wasn't… I shouldn't have come with you." Rachel said, sounding apologetically and pulling her top back on. "I'm sorry, Roland, but I cannot sleep with you."

The dancer crossed her arms over his chest, and for a moment Rachel thought he was about to stop his feet on the floor and storm out; but instead, he asked: "Why?"

The brunette sighed, deciding that telling the truth was going to be better than elude the question and leave Roland there, thinking that she was just another one of the frivolous bitches of their school.

"I'm in love with someone else."

"So, what does that has to do with anything?" her classmate asked again, although this time he sounded almost angry. "Obviously, if you're here with me it has to be because he wants nothing to do with you."

Even though she knew he was speaking out of the bitterness because the boy felt rejected, Roland's words actually managed to hurt her. Rachel shook her head and said: "It's none of your damn business!" before pushing pass him and exciting the room.

The brunette stumbled all the way down the stairs, since she was more than a little tipsy, and was about to fall on her face at the bottom of it when strong arms caught her.

"Whoa," Brody pulled her back up, chuckling slightly. "Easy there, tiger."

"I'm sorry, I just…" Rachel sobbed, hiding her face on her friend's chest. "I want to go home."

"Did he force you to–" Brody started to ask, voice neutral and controlled, although his hands were already forming fists. But Rachel quickly shook her head, putting him at ease. "No, he didn't… is not that, just, take me out of here– please."

As soon as she said it, the brunette was being dragged across the party and towards the exit. Brody pushed pass everyone that got in their way –safely tucking Rachel behind his strong body– and lead them both to his car without much of a problem.

When they got there, he opened the passenger door to the brunette –who was still crying– and waited until they were both seated and secure inside his car to ask.

"What's going on, Rachel?" The brunette whimpered, shoulders shaking non-stop, but didn't managed to say anything. "Come on, star, you have to give me something to work with." He took her hands and squeezed them softly, encouraging his friend to talk with him.

"I'm in love." Rachel said, and then sobbed harder.

"Oh, Rach…" Brody sighed, pulling the brunette against his chest and caressing her back, trying his best to comfort her. "I know you're still all hung up on Finn, sweetie, but you have to move on. He's not doing you any kind of good and–"

"No, Brody; is not…– I'm not–." The brunette tightened his hold on her friend's chest and then added. "I'm already over Finn, I was long before I even realized that–"

"That what?" the boy asked softly, caressing her hair and trying to stop her heartbreaking tears. "If it's not Finn, and it's definitely not me, then who's…" Brody's words trailed off, his clear eyes finally shining with understanding as he gasped. "No, please not her Rachel… not now."

"I wish it weren't true… I wish the timing weren't so bad…" she whispered, almost as if she were talking to herself. "I wish I hadn't been so damn blind." The whimper Rachel let out after that sounded so miserable that even her friend felt like his heart was breaking because of the brunette's current situation. "But I'm too late… she's moved on, she's happy now and I just– I just have to learn how to live the way Quinn did all these past months."

"Star…"

"No, Brody, I won't tell her." Rachel shook her head, imploring him with her eyes to understand her motives, to support her silence. "She has been through so much already; she's young and she's brave… but everyone has a breaking point, and I don't want to be that for her. Not again." She said, speaking more firmly, even though her tears were still flowing freely. "I can't just tell her how I feel now… not when Quinn's committed to someone else… and certainly not when she's already falling in love with said person."

Brody sighed, staring at Rachel for a while until he shook his head and said. "I don't agree with you." The brunette was about to protest but he raised his hand and stopped her. "You're holding yourself back because you think it wouldn't be fair to Quinn, if you tell her… but what if she hasn't move on? What if she stills love you?"

"That's a risk that I'm not willing to take."

"You're giving up way before you even begin to try."

Another violent sob cut through her chest, making her believe that her pain was going to be eternal from now on. "This is what best for Quinn."

"That's not something you can be entirely sure of, since we're talking about _her life_, Star." Her friend huffed, turned on the car and tilted his her towards Rachel. "You're going to regret this decision."

"Maybe," Rachel conceded, hugging herself and looking out of the window, staring at the cloudy night. "But I'm not going to ruin Quinn's life by telling her that, after everything she went through with me before moving on, I am finally in love with her."

* * *

The summer sun has never felt so good in Rachel's skin.

She currently was lying on the grass of Central Park, eating grapes lazily and attentively listening to the story being told while her head was resting on her best friend's lap.

"And then, Samantha –this bitch from my theater class– gets all up in my face and actually tells me: _You have to step back and give up the part because you can't do a cartwheel, therefore, you're unable to fulfill every requirement the leading role demands._"

"She didn't," Rachel gasped, turning her body a little bit to look right into Quinn's amused eyes as the girl nodded. "No way!"

"Way." The blonde confirmed, stealing the grape in Rachel's hands and popping it into her mouth before continuing. "She saw my scar when we were in the dressing room a couple of months ago for one of the plays, so, she thought that I wouldn't be able to do anything extremely physical because I was a cripple."

Rachel immediately shook her head, voice breaking. "You're not–"

"I didn't meant it like…" Quinn smiled, moving aside her best friend's bangs just so she could stare right into her eyes. "I'm over what happened, Rach, really." She whispered, taking the girl's hands and squeezing them softly. "The accident was more than a year ago; and yes, it was awful back then but I fought to get through every physical therapy session and I came out victorious. That's all that matters now… and you should really just let it go."

"But I can't," Rachel replied, eyes filling up with tears. "Sometimes I–I still have nightmares about that day and I just–"

An extremely tender kiss on her forehead cut off the brunette's ramble. Rachel looked up, and stopped breathing when she realized that Quinn's soft lips and stunning hazel eyes were still lingering close to her face. "You need to stop blaming yourself for something that wasn't your fault to begin with."

"But–"

"Rachel," Quinn said, speaking firmly without raising her voice. "_Look at me_."

The brunette did as she was told and was instantly met with intense eyes. Hazel orbs that were shining so brightly and full of love –not necessarily romantic, but definitely an entirely, unconditional love– that it made Rachel's heart beat faster than horses running free on a desert beach.

"I'm alive." Quinn spoke again, trying to erase through her gaze whatever was left of Rachel's fears. "And I'm right here, having a picnic in Central Park, with my best friend."

"With me." The brunette mumbled, not even daring to blink her tears away because she didn't want Quinn to end their current closeness. "And you're not going anywhere, right?"

The blonde laughed softly, although it sounded kind of bittersweet, too. "Well, I am going to spend my whole summer in Canada with Selene," Quinn wiped off Rachel's watery cheeks and added. "But I promise you that I am never going to be absent from your life."

Rachel let out the breath that she had been holding and threw her arms around Quinn's neck, hugging her as tight as possible. "That's good," the brunette breathed out, shakily. "Because my first workshop starts this summer, which also means that it is only a matter of time before I'm walking towards the Tony stage because Sutton Foster announced me winner in the category of _Best Performance By A Leading Actress In A Musical_! …And you definitely want to be there for that."

"You have my permission to go, find me, and then kick my ass if I'm not sitting first row when that happens." Quinn replied in all seriousness. "I don't care if I have to fight Audra McDonald for the last remaining seat, I'll be there!"

"You're such a dork." Rachel laughed, sitting up and throwing a grape at her best friend before she sobered up and added. "I'm going to miss you so much, Quinn."

"I'll miss you too." The blonde replied, not quite understanding why Rachel was staring at her with such level of sadness. "But hey, I'll write you emails whenever I get my hand on a computer and I expect daily updates about that workshop, understand?"

Rachel nodded solemnly, and went back to laying her head on the blonde's lap. They stayed in silence for a couple of minutes, just enjoying each other's company and the warm sun on their skin before the brunette turned her head and asked. "Are you happy, Quinn Fabray?"

The singer watched the blonde's profile glow under the sunlight –since the blonde was facing the distance– and was left speechless when Quinn turned to look at her with a blinding smile. Her hazel eyes were filled with emotions and for a moment, Rachel wondered what it would feel like to kiss her again, to hold her in her arms and never, ever, let her go.

"I am, I finally really am happy."

And just like that, her illusions crumbled. Because Quinn was happy and she wasn't going to screw that up, even less for her own benefit. Her best friend at last had the life she always deserved and Rachel was going to make sure that it stayed like that, even if it meant to love Quinn from afar, even if it meant to listen to her rant about her girlfriend and how happy Selene made her.

"That's all that matters to me." Rachel whispered under her breath, and then aloud, said: "What happened with Samantha the bitch, then?"

For a small and imperceptible second, a flash of understanding passed through Quinn's gaze before she let out a chuckled and answered to her best friend. "I told her to tighten up her ponytail before walking out of the auditorium… doing backwards somersaults."

"You did not!" Rachel exclaimed, jaw hanging open. "Quinn, you know you can't go around doing those things anymore!"

"I am aware," the blonde said amusedly. "And so was my body because my upper half hurt like hell for three days after that but I got the part and Samantha ended up being my maid; so, it was worth it."

"You're crazy." Rachel said, laughing loudly and throwing more grapes at her best friend, that Quinn tried –and failed– to catch.

"But don't deny it," the blonde replied, poking the singer's nose playfully. "You love me just like that!"

"I do," Rachel spoke, wishing she could make Quinn understand the real meaning behind her words but at the same time praying that the blonde wouldn't figure it, at least not while she was already so happy. "I really do."

And when the Yale student beamed at her –all white teeth and shiny eyes– Rachel realized that, for now, the right decision was to stay silent and just enjoy the beautiful and unconditional friendship that Quinn Fabray was offering to her. After all, Rachel was entirely sure that it was only a matter of _'the right time'_ for her and Quinn to be together.

They have met each other at the beginning of the first chapter in their new lives, and ever since, every page of their personal life's book had interlaced. No matter what they did or how much they fought against it, both girls were always connected to the other. That's why Rachel's heart was telling her that she just needed to wait for the perfect moment, because at the end of their long journey, Quinn's and hers chapter was going to be the same.

* * *

_**I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but I wanted to give you guys something soon and life has and lack of inspiration has been kicking my butt. Hopefully the next one will be longer! xoxo Hajabeg**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Brave As A Noun**_

"Where do you want me to put this one, S?" Quinn asked loudly, carrying another big box through the front door of Rachel and the Latina's apartment.

"If it says clothes put it on my bedroom; if not, put it on the living room next to the couch!" Santana shouted back, also busy carrying boxes. "Jesus Christ, Britt! How much stuff do you have?" she questioned with a grunt as she passed her girlfriend and left yet another huge box in the kitchen. "I told you that we didn't needed more cooking stuff."

"But I thought it would be nice to buy some things for Rachel, after all –and even though she's just learning–, she's the only one that cooks around here!" The taller blonde replied, settling down her last box on top of the coffee table. "And… I'm officially a permanent resident of this apartment now!" Brittany cheered, squeaking when Santana picked her up, spinning her around and then planting a passionate kiss the minute the blonde's feet touched the ground again.

"I love you so much, Britt-Britt."

The blonde beamed and pulled her girlfriend back for another kiss before breathing out. "I love you very much, too."

"Aren't you guys the cutest thing ever?" Quinn asked, walking into the living room and throwing herself to the couch with a relieved sigh. "Why is moving into a new place such a bitching thing to do?"

"Is your back hurting?" Santana asked, going to the kitchen and quickly coming back with three bottles of water. "Do you want to lay down or something?"

Quinn shook her head and smiled gratefully when Brittany put the cool water against her forehead. "I'm okay, I just need one of my pills and them I'm good to go." She reassured her friend. "We promised Rachel that we were going to pick her up before doing to dinner, after all."

"Ugh," Santana rolled her eyes. "I just hope Matt isn't tagging alone this time, just because he's cool doesn't mean he's allowed to spend every damn day with us!"

"Umm… who's Matt?" Quinn asked curiously. The Latina raised an eyebrow in her direction and Brittany just looked at her full of surprise.

"Hasn't Rachel told you about her new crush?" the dancer questioned her friend, and then continued talking without realizing that Quinn had lost all the color in her gorgeous face. "I mean, she's always talking about him and Matt practically lives here whenever they aren't rehearsing for the workshop."

"Wait a second," the blonde raised her hand to stop her friend's rant. "Do you mean Matt as in Matthew Robinson, the Tony award winner that also happens to the be the male lead in Rachel's new project?"

"And he won it when he was only fourteen years old, that talented brat." Santana added, although there was nothing malicious in her voice. She actually liked the dude. "It shouldn't come as a surprise, really, the fact that Tiny is completely smitten with him."

"But it's only been three months since they met." Quinn frowned deeply. "Yeah, I admit that Rach can get a little bit carried away with this sort of stuff sometimes but I thought…" the blonde trailed off, not really knowing how to say what she wanted to say without coming off as an extremely jealous person.

After all, she was totally over Rachel already –right?

"I mean, I know she admires Robinson a lot because she talked about him in almost every single one of our calls and emails during the summer; but Rachel still loves Finn Hudson, right? We all know he's the love of her life."

Santana cocked her head, frowning as she looked at Quinn and replied. "Yeah, but they haven't been together, or talked to the other, for over a year now… and I think, maybe, that Rachel finally realized that she needed to go on with her life and try new things."

"Do you think she might be using Matthew to get over Finn?" The shorthaired blonde asked, trying to hide the fact that something about that sentence bothered her immensely. "Because I don't think that's something she would do, at least not after…"

"Quinn," Brittany started saying, frowning too. "You know that what happened between you two was an entirely different situation."

"I know that!" She almost growled. "I just– it never crossed my mind, the thought of Rachel being so into him… like, romantically speaking."

Quinn stood up and went to the kitchen, she needed to clear her head and nothing was better for it than a cup of warm coffee.

"Well, they aren't dating yet." Santana said from the living room, finally figuring out why her best friend was acting so weird. Crap, things were about to get complicated once again.

"But I give it a few weeks until it happens." Brittany said, surely of herself. And Quinn couldn't help but glare at the cup in her hands because she knew the blonde enough to recognize that tone. Brittany spoke as if the idea of something other than what she intuited were to come true was impossible, and the Yale student didn't liked that at all.

"Whatever, let's just go and pick Rachel up." Quinn mumbled, popping a few pills into her mouth and then reminding herself of all the happy moments she had shared with her girlfriend, Selene.

Her mind was taking a dangerous route. Quinn knew that her feelings for Rachel were still intact –although really well hidden– and she couldn't afford to let them be known. Not when she had such an amazing partner already. Not when Rachel was still figuring out the emotional mess that was her love life.

"Q?" Santana called again, this time shaking the blonde's shoulder and looking at her as if Quinn had just lost her damn puppy. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head immediately, already long and silky hair getting in the way of her eyes. God, she hate her hair like that and needed a haircut urgently. "Yes, of course… why wouldn't I be?"

"I know you, Q. I can tell by the way you're acting that–"

"Don't say it, Santana." The blonde cut her off. "Please, don't… I just– I really– please, just don't."

The Latina shut her mouth and stared at her best friend for a long moment before she let out a big, defeated sigh and opened her arms. "Come here, you big piece of broken shit." Quinn laughed at her, and even though it came out dry and somewhat bitter, she embraced Santana anyways. "How do you always manage to end up involved in such crappy situations, Q?"

The blonde stepped back, wiped off whatever was remaining of her tears and shrugged jokingly as she answered. "I don't know, but I do believe that karma needs me to kick its ass just to make the bitch stop being so mean to me."

"Hey, I'm on board for it!" Santana replied, squeezing Quinn's shoulder softly before pulling the girl towards the door. "Let's go already because I so don't want Tiny to rant to me about the importance of a proper meal at a proper hour."

Quinn chuckled as they made their way down the hall. "Be careful, S, I think Rachel is starting to rub some of her traits on you."

"Hot!" Brittany quipped in from behind them, making Santana blush a deep shade of red while Quinn laughed even harder. "I would love to see it happen."

"Not in a million years," Santana said, rolling her eyes while stepping into the elevator. "Besides, I don't believe Quinn could handle seeing Rachel rubbing anything on me, anyways."

And just like that, the Latina managed to make her best friend's laughter stop right away.

* * *

"There they are!" Brittany squealed excited, almost 20 minutes and cab ride later, when she spotted Rachel and her friend standing outside of the theater. "Matty!"

Slowly getting out of the car, as Santana paid for all of them, Quinn focused her gaze on the chatty and joyful trio.

Brittany was currently giving Rachel a bear hug while Robinson messed with the blonde's hair. The dancer let out a surprised gasp and turned around to start chasing the boy, all of this while Rachel was bent over, laughing her guts out.

"He's a really awesome person, Quinn." Santana whispered besides her, watching the same scene with a warm and rare smile on her face.

"Seems like it." The blonde replied under her breath, eyes still focused on how happy Rachel actually looked to be when she sneaked her arm around the boy and hugged his side.

"But Q, if it's meant to be, it will happen." Santana spoke firmly, smirking at her best friend before walking towards the group and loudly announcing. "Let's get going, people, I'll ends you if I don't get to fill my hot body with some quality food in less than half an hour!"

Quinn saw, amused, how Rachel lifted her chin and rolled her eyes real hard at Santana before she started to look around, attentive, big and bright eyes searching for something… or rather, _someone_.

"Over here, little Barbra!" Quinn teased, making the brunette turn her head in her direction and beam so widely at her that it made the blonde wonder if anyone could possibly go blind just by watching Rachel Berry smile.

"Quinn!" Utterly thrilled about seeing her best friend for the first time after a long summer of absence, Rachel sprinted all the way towards the blonde and crashed their bodies together, in a fierce hug, the second she got close enough to do so. "I missed you so much." The singer breathed out, hanging on even tighter. "I forbid you to leave my side for such large amount of time ever again!" Rachel commanded, quickly kissing Quinn's cheek and then hugging her one more time.

"I missed you like crazy too, Rach." Quinn whispered back, burying her nose in the brunette's neck and inhaling as much of the girl essence as possible. "God, I almost forgot how great it felt to be held by you."

Rachel giggled, thanking all the heavens for the fact that Quinn was currently unable to see the deep blush on her cheeks, and said. "Great! That'll teach you to never, ever, want to be away –for longer than two weeks– from my awesome hugging skills."

Quinn sighed. "You know I didn't had a choice, if it weren't for Selene, I wouldn't have left your side."

At the mention of the girlfriend, Rachel felt as if someone had suddenly thrown a bucked of ice cold water over her head. She shivered and stepped back, finally being able to fully notice her best friend's appearance. "Your hair is so long." She played with a lock of blond hair for a few seconds between adding. "You totally need a haircut."

Quinn smiled, already missing the closeness between them but still feeling happy about being reunited with Rachel. "That's exactly what I keep thinking."

"Then we'll take care of it tomorrow." The brunette said, taking Quinn's hand in her and pulling her along. "Now, come on, I want to formally introduce you to my leading man and co-star!"

"Oh, I see, the infamous Matthew Robinson." Quinn mocked as she kept walking, but Rachel stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to stare at the blonde straight in the eyes. "What's wrong?" Quinn asked, lifting her eyebrow in the process because she couldn't figure out exactly why was Rachel being so suddenly serious. "Is something wrong?"

"You are aware that you will always be my favorite person, right?" the singer asked, almost shyly.

"Rach, what–?" Quinn stopped the question when she saw the determined glint in Rachel's eyes. "Yes, I do know… of course I do, Rachel, why–?"

"Because I don't want you to ever forget that you're the most important thing that's ever happened to me, Quinn." Rachel replied sincerely, eyes dropping in irrational fear. "I don't ever want you to think that I would replace you with someone else or that I'll stop caring about you just because I now have someone that–"

"Hey, Rachel, no…" The blonde cut her off, lifting the girl's jaw until their eyes were meeting. "I would never think something like that, honey. And I would never forget how important I am to you because you mean just as much to me." Quinn smiled softly and Rachel found herself doing just the same. God, it was incredible how much did she actually felt for her best friend. "We are each other's soul mates, and that will never change, do you understand? No matter what happens or who gets between us… we will always belong to the other."

"Will it be like that until our last day? Forever?" Rachel asked quietly. "Can you promise me that?"

"I swear on the love we feel for each other, Rachel Berry, that as long as we live… we will never part from each other's life."

There was a moment of pure bliss between the girls before they heard. "And I swear on Sue Sylvester's magical vagina that, if you both don't start taking your sorry and skinny asses to the restaurant in less than five seconds, I'll start cutting bitches left and right!"

Rachel growled at the Latina, but Quinn threw her head backwards and let out such a joyful laugh that her best friend couldn't help but join.

"Oh, New York, how I missed you!"

* * *

It was a calm and warm afternoon at the middle of September when Brittany picked up her phone. She was currently at the dance studio, stretching before the beginning of the rehearsal for the off-Broadway show she was dancing in when she said: "Hello again, Quinn."

"_When was the last time I went bowling, Brittany?_" The blonde asked, ignoring the polite action of greeting the other person and going straight to the point.

"Umm… I think… it was that one time in freshman year. You absolutely hate bowling but you went because you were dating Finn and it was going to give you a popularity boost."

"_Exactly._" Quinn spat out, and then added with the same annoyed tone. "_Selene is bitching to me because I won't go with her –even though I told her I despise that activity more than anything because it reminds me of everything about me that I used to… no, what I still hate about me–. She thinks I'm saying no to going out with her and her friends just so I can come down to New York City and hang out with you guys._"

"Oh, Q…" Brittany sighed quietly, leaning forward until her chest was touching her knees. "This is like– I'm sure you have called me because you had a new fight with Selene this week more than you have ever called me for anything else in your life… which is saying a lot because we used to talk every single day to discuss the latest episode of Gilmore Girls."

"_It's not like I want to be fighting with her all the time!_" Quinn quickly replied. "_I'm just so _tired_ of her constant questioning of every single thing I do. Selene knew from a start that I had feelings for Rachel, and she also knew that I wasn't going to stay away from my best friend regardless of what I felt._"

The dancer nodded to herself. "What happened, then? What made Selene change the way she felt about your relationship with Rachel?" Brittany asked, waving to one of her friend as they passed by her. "I mean, as far as I know, she's always been okay with your daily calls and the visits to New York."

"_I wish I knew._" The Yale student mumbled, and her best friend immediately picked up the lie.

"Spit it out, Quinn." Brittany said sternly. "You know I despise when you lie to me; even more if we are discussing a serious issue."

"_I know… I'm sorry– I just..._" her voice trailed off, quiet. She wanted to keep ignoring the big and bright pink unicorn in the room. "_I might have bitched to Sese about how much I dislike Robinson right after telling her that no one would actually deserve Rachel because she was too amazing for words to even describe it._"

Brittany stayed silent for a long second and then, "Way to go, Q." The dancer rolled her eyes while practically feeling Quinn cringe. "You sure know how to make a girl feel special."

"_I didn't do it on purpose!_" The Ivy League quickly defended herself. "_She walked into my room right after I finished my daily call with Rachel and I was pissed off because she wouldn't stop talking about how amazing was to have Brody as a dance partner at NYADA and about how perfect Matthew is in every rehearsal and I just– I blew up on her._"

"Why?" Brittany didn't let her a chance to answer before she added. "Rachel is always talking about them. They spend hours together and pretty much experience first hand how our shining star discovers herself in the world she loves with each passing day. They are always there with her, that's why she always talks about them." She explained easily. "You should know better… I mean, for heaven's sake, you're her best friend, Quinn! Whenever Rachel learns something new, no matter how small or insignificant it might be, you're the first person she runs to tell. You're the one with whom she wants to celebrate her achievements and your arms are the ones she seeks refuge when she had a particularly bad day."

"_I know all that, Britt!_" Quinn growled. "_Of course I do!_"

"Then explain your reaction to me, because I don't get the reason why you were pissed off in the first place."

"_I was upset because I suddenly realized that Rachel will never talk about me like that, Brittany._" Quinn confessed after a long pause. "_She will never see me as anything other than her best friend and that just… some days that's a thought that I just can't stand._"

Brittany gasped loudly as soon as the realization of what her best friend was confessing via phone hit her right in the face.

"The end of a circle will always be the beginning of it." She whispered, and the even more quietly, Brittany added. "Did you fell in love with Rachel again, Quinn?"

"_No, it didn't happened again._" Quinn answered right away, her tone walking all over the thin line that divided anger and sadness from love and adoration. "_Because I never stopped loving her in the first place._"

* * *

_**Do you believe in finding the right person at the wrong time and/or under the worst circumstances ever? Because I do.**_

_**I know it seems like the girls are just going in circles, and maybe they are, but they are also growing up and learning even more about themselves and the other... anyways, until the next time. And let me know your thoughts about this! xoxo Hajabeg**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Brave As A Noun**_

"And then Matt did this thing with–"

"Kurt," Rachel cut off his best friend. "Can we not do this now, please? I have a headache."

The boy shook his head, walking first into the apartment. "Ugh, I hate it when you miss Quinn because you immediately become this un-Rachel cranky person that just makes me want to– OH MY GOD!"

"What? What happened?"

"I'm blind." Kurt muttered, eyes as big as hot-air balloons. "I'll never be able to see again."

"What are you talking a–?" Rachel stopped mid sentence and then cleared her throat, loudly. "Girls."

"Wha–?"

"Who the hell–?" Santana's head poked out of its place between Brittany's legs. "Me tienes que estar jodiendo."

"Seriously, I think there's blood coming out of my eyes."

"The kitchen, really?" Rachel asked, rolling her annoyed eyes at both Kurt and the couple. "This is the place I use to cook our food!"

"We were cooking too." Brittany defended them, jumping off the counter and pulling down her dress. "But then I said that I tasted so much better than food and Santana told me to prove it and we just–"

"MY EARS, OH GOD, WHAT'S HAPPENING?" Kurt yelled, running towards the living room couch and burying his head in the pillows. "I AM A GAY MAN, I DON'T NEED TO HEAR THESE THINGS!"

"Stop being over dramatic and calm down, lady pants." Santana spat out, a smirk firmly placed on her face. "As long as you keep coming here, no encounter you might stumble upon will be the last one you'll be seeing."

"It should be!" Rachel replied. "And you both need to respect the fact that I also live here!"

"We do respect that." Brittany said quickly. "But you also know how we are... we can't help it."

The NYADA student sighed, shaking her head a little bit to herself. "I know, I'm sorry I'm just…"

"It's okay, Tiny." Santana spoke softly. "We understand."

"You do?"

"Yeah!" Brittany quickly said, a small and sympathetic pout taking residence on her face. "You are upset because you want to get laid, too."

"What? How on Earth do you come up with this kind of stuff, Britt?" Rachel asked dryly; but then she sighed, realizing that she was being somehow rude. "I'm sorry, I'm just not in a great mood and… I-I'm just going to take a bath."

"Rachel…" The brunette heard Santana call out to her as she walked towards her bedroom. But she didn't turn around. She didn't feel like chatting with anyone at the moment.

"Let her be, Santana." Kurt's voice was the last thing Rachel heard before the door closed behind her.

God, she needed to get a grip of the situation, but the brunette was so incredibly annoyed at herself that she couldn't even think properly. Rachel felt guilty and stupid because she had to go and realize that she was in love with Quinn when it was a little too late. And now her best friend was happy and in love with her girlfriend and Rachel felt upset because she couldn't help but avoid her and push back having to talk to Quinn. And all of that just pissed her off, because she was being a coward, hiding behind from her best friend because of how she felt. She hated the way she was reacting to being in love with Quinn because she felt like she was taking the easy way out –at least currently–.

She had never been as strong as the blonde was, _still_ is. Sometimes, Rachel found herself lacking confidence and letting her insecurities take over; and adding to that the fact that she was completely and head over heels in love with her best friend, to be completely honest, only made everything else about her life seem like it was ten times ten... harder. After all, Rachel didn't know how to handle a situation in which she was the person stopping herself from acting upon her own feelings.

And a big part of the brunette was aware that she was being weak, and not at all like her usual self… you know, hiding from Quinn like that. But what could Rachel possibly do when she knew that her hands were tied? How could she –or hell, even want to– stop herself from running away when she knew that staying in touch would only hurt her like a bitch because it would meant a constant battle against herself and what she wanted to have the most?

One thing Rachel was certain of, though, was that her current actions were pushing her friendship with Quinn over the edge of disaster. The brunette knew she needed to get her shit together and fix whatever she had –unwillingly and entirely unintentional– broken between her and the blonde.

Therefore, as she took a relaxing bath –accompanied by one of the best presents Quinn had ever given her: _Barbra's Greatest Hits_– Rachel started brainstorming ideas that should definitely help her to keep her feelings in check. Ideas to help her find a way to be able of holding an extended and completely coherent conversation with Quinn without looking like a weirdo or an idiot that was hopelessly in love. And yes, totally, she even went as far as imagining a couple of situations –hypothetically speaking/thinking, of course– in which she revealed her feelings to the blonde.

In fact, she was just about to receive a very welcomed but sadly imaginary kiss from her best friend when her phone started ringing, startling Rachel out of her fantasies so much that she almost hit her head with the bathtub.

"Hello?" she asked, groaning quietly.

"Rach," as soon as she heard him, the brunette dashed out of the still warm water and went to reach for her towel, drying herself as fast as possible as she waited for her friend to continue. It was Matt, and he sounded pretty close to having a breakdown. "I need your help."

"I'll be there in 15 minutes."

* * *

It was already October when Quinn found herself picking up a small and last box with a heavy sigh. She looked around the room before turning completely to stare at the girl standing next to the door.

"I'm so sorry, Sese." The blonde breathed out. "I never meant to hurt you like this."

"Hey, no… don't– I knew what I was getting into even before I accepted to go out with you, Quinn." Selene replied. "It's not your fault and it's not mine either… although I am really sorry that we didn't work out."

"I did love you, Selene." Quinn said brokenly, trying to hold back her tears. "And I hated that we fought so much these last couple of weeks and I still hate that I don't feel for you what you feel from me."

"We can still try, Q…"

"No, we can't." Quinn shook her head. "And we both know that you deserve so much better than anything I can ever give you." The blonde walked towards the girl and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "You will find someone that will make you incredibly happy someday, and when you do, I hope you don't ever let them go."

She started to walk out when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Quinn turned around and was surprised to find Selene offering her a sad but somehow hopeful smile. "I want you to be happy."

"I know."

"You need to fight for her."

"I will."

"Do you promise me, Quinn? That you won't give up until Rachel knows how much you actually want her. How much you _need_ her?" The girl asked, trying to get her point across. "Because if me letting you go only means that you'll be back to the place you were before we met, I refuse to do it."

A few seconds of complete silence passed before Quinn finally looked at her ex girlfriend in the eyes. "I won't give up." She spoke firmly, the ghost of a smile taking over her face. "I promise you that I will go to New York, and I will ask Rachel to give me a chance to try and win her heart."

"And win you will." Selene declared proudly, and Quinn couldn't help but burst out laughing right then and there. "You are such a dork!"

"No matter the circumstances, one cannot simply let an opportunity to quote _The Hunger Games_ pass by."

The blonde rolled her eyes and laughed more loudly, "_Lord of the Rings_, really?"

"What can I say, Q… it's a rare gift that only a few of us –lucky ones– posses."

"That's it. I'm walking away now." The blonde stated, feeling more light and content with her decision, although she was sure that a big part of her was going to be a little bit sad for a while. After all, Selene was a truly amazing person. "We'll be friends again, someday soon, right?"

"Of course, Quinn." Selene replied without a doubt in her voice. "I wouldn't miss the chance to have free ticket to Broadway shows because my friend is the lead's girlfriend for anything in the world!"

And just like that, as the door closed behind her, Quinn knew that her future was about to get even brighter.

* * *

The last thing Rachel expected to hear when she opened the door to her apartment that night was, "Faster, Santana… fuck… faster…" followed by a throaty moan and then a high pitched, "Shit, it's Tiny!" when the door closed loudly behind her.

"Is this incident going to become a recurring thing now that Brittany moved in with us?" Rachel asked, walking towards the kitchen after dropping her purse by the front door. "Because I'm not fond of the _'welcome home'_ idea you guys have."

"Shut up, Rachel." Santana growled, showing up from the living room with messy shirt and wearing a NYU shirt long enough to cover her pant-less butt. "We weren't doing anything."

"But only because you showed up." Brittany confessed brightly just a second later, making a beeline towards the fridge and finishing a bottle of water in just a matter of seconds. "We knew you were coming home soon so we were just supposed to watch a movie, but you know Santana…" The blonde turned to wink playfully at her girlfriend before saying. "She just can't keep her hands away from me."

Rachel looked at Brittany and then chuckled. "Is not like I can blame her." She said, taking in the dancer's long legs that were resting under an extremely short pair of shorts and the perfection of the blonde's abs, that were currently being accentuated by a bright red sport bra.

"Hey!" Santana shouted, pushing the brunette's shoulder in a harsh but slightly playful way. "Stop checking out my girlfriend!"

"I can't help it!" Rachel said between her laughter. "I have a thing for blondes!"

"Yeah, well–"

"Hold up a second." Brittany interrupted the already furious Latina. "Did you just say that you're into blondes?"

"I–" Rachel stammered, "What?"

"Holy crap, you did!" Santana cheered. "Come on, Berry, spill the beans!"

The tiny dancer looked at her roommates with wide, scared eyes. "There's nothing to tell, really."

"Have you always sucked this much at lying?" Brittany asked Rachel, taking her by the arm and pulling her towards the living room. "You're obviously trying –and failing– to hide the fact that you are attracted to Quinn from us."

"No fucking way!" Santana shouted at the same time that Rachel's face lost even more color. "This is not happening right now."

"Santana, babe, you aren't helping." Brittany said, looking pointedly at her girlfriend and then turning to a very quiet Rachel. "You do know we won't tell Quinn anything, right?"

"I know that," the tiny brunette sighed. "But the thing is– telling you guys all the truth, it… it will make everything way too real."

"Make it too real?" Santana questioned, confused. "What's the big deal about you having a crush on Quinn?"

Brittany pursed her lips and stared at Rachel with knowing and perceptive eyes. "It's a big deal because it's much more than a simple crush… right?"

"It is always more than something _simple_ when it comes to Quinn Fabray." Rachel confessed, burying her face in her hands. She mumbled something along the lines of 'too intense' but neither of the girls could exactly understand what it was.

"Tiny, we didn't hear shit of what you just said."

Brittany frowned at Santana and then moved to put a hand on the diva's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You know you don't have to tell us anything you don't want to… but Rach, we are your friends and we are here for you, whenever you need us, okay?"

The brunette stayed silent for a couple of minutes, while Santana and Brittany just looked at each other with matching worried frowns. They both could hear Rachel silently crying and had to fight their protective instincts because all they wanted was to take the girl into their arms and make her stop crying and help her feel better; but they also knew that they couldn't intervene because facing her inner demons was something that Rachel had to do on her own.

"I'm in love with Quinn." The brunette finally spoke, voice firm but kind of quiet.

"You are?" Brittany asked, eyes shining brightly. "For real?" Santana was quick to follow, an excited smile slowly appearing in her face.

"Yes. And it's not the kind of Finn-love where all I wanted was for him to notice me; when all I did was try my best to not creep him out and when I was obsessed with the fact that he actually _loved_ me back." Rachel confessed, a somewhat bitter pot adorning her mouth. "With Quinn, I am so ridiculously head over heels in love that no matter how many hours passes by, I can't stop thinking about her beautiful her eyes are. My day automatically brightens whenever someone just happens to mentions her name and my heart melts every time I listen to her voice." The brunette let out a dreamy sigh and continued talking. "She sets my skin on pure and vibrant fire with the simplest touch and she makes me feel like the most amazing person that walks the face of the Earth whenever she looks at me. But mostly, I know that my love for Quinn Fabray is different and stronger than anything else I have ever felt before because she never, ever, gave up on my dreams or me… and when she tells me that I'm amazing, that I'm the brightest star she has even seen shine… I believe her without a second of hesitation." The girl sighed, wiping off the tears in her cheeks. "And all that makes my feelings for her much more…"

"Amazing? Beautiful?"

"Fucking hot? …And pretty and shit?"

"Yeah, but no, you don't–" Rachel shook her head and then added. "It's awful, guys."

"What?"

"Why the hell?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the brunette asked, sounding annoyed and a bit defeated. "She's in love with someone else… Quinn– her heart already belongs to another girl." Rachel stared out of the window, trying to hide the fact that she was once again crying, from her friends. "And I can't… I _won't_… ruin her happiness by dropping such bomb on her. I refuse to do so."

Brittany tilted her head to the side. "But Rach, don't you know that–"

"When was the last time you spoke with Quinn, Tiny?" Santana asked abruptly, cutting off whatever her girlfriend was about to say.

"Ummm…" Rachel looked to the ground, suddenly feeling very ashamed of herself and her actions. "We have texted each other a couple of times but, we haven't really spoken on the phone for like three weeks."

"Seriously?"

"What the hell am I supposed to do, Santana?" The smaller brunette asked, exasperated. "I am an excellent actress… but Quinn knows me better than anyone else and I have never been able to just _lie_ to her. And no matter how hard I try, it's impossible for me to look or talk to her and pretend that she's not the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, that she's not the love of my life."

"Look, Rachel–" the Latina said, walking until she was kneeling in front of her best friend. "I understand that you are trying to be _'the better person'_ by not fucking up what she already has with someone else but… take it from me when I tell you that you will never be able to outrun your destiny. If it's meant to be, you can be sure as hell that it will happen." She whispered, looking at Brittany briefly before returning her attention to the brunette. "And you kind of owe it to Quinn, you know?"

"Yes, but–"

"Let me be clear," Santana interrupted her, speaking with such kindness in her voice that Rachel was staring to feel lightheaded. Wise and mature Santana was kind of scary. "I'm not pressuring you into doing something you clearly don't want to do now. And I'm not comparing your situation with hers, either–"

"Even though they are kind of the same." Brittany mumbled, and then shrugged when her girlfriend glared at her. "You know you are thinking it, too."

The Latina shook her head, and looked back at Rachel again. "The point I'm trying to make is… Quinn never ran away, and she didn't particularly hide the truth from you, either." The diva opened her mouth to say something, but Santana knew her well enough to guess what it was going to be. "Yes, we all know she's ridiculously strong when it comes to her emotions and can pretty much handle anything that it's thrown at her; and I'm definitely not saying that you have to be _exactly_ like her… but Rachel, you owe to Quinn the same kind of honesty and respect she's always giving you."

"I know that; I just– I don't want her to pity me… or something like that."

"For as long as you have known Quinn Fabray –and I'm talking about pregnancy, getting kicked out of her house by her own parents, cheating boyfriends, getting kicked out again, giving up her baby, cheating _on_ her boyfriends, having emotional breakdowns, losing herself even more by trying to steal said baby back– …have you ever pity her?"

"Never."

"And do you really think –like, honest to God– that Quinn Fabray, of all people, will pity you because of how you feel?"

"No, I don't."

"Then go and tell her!" Santana all but yelled, throwing her hands in the air while trying –but failing miserably– to hold back how excited she really was about Rachel's confession. "Again, I'm totally not pressuring you into doing anything you don't want to do."

"It's not about telling Quinn that right now you're going through the same hell she went through months ago, Rachel." Brittany said with a small smile. "It's about finding the strength within yourself to tell her how you truly feel and trust that, just like it _almost_ always happens when it comes to her life, she'll know how to handle the situation."

"And who knows," Santana smiled, too. "For once, life might surprise you!"

Rachel shook her head and stared at her roommates, narrowing her eyes a bit at their beaming faces. "You two are awfully excited about this revelation."

"We are?"

"I didn't noticed at all." Santana said nonchalantly, and then added. "Hey Britt, look at the time! Didn't you need to be in the theater for a dress rehearsal or something like that?"

"Yeah! Totally… I think I might even be late and all. Oh, shoot!"

The brunette threw her head back and laughed openly at the duo. "And you say I'm a bad liar?"

"Whatever, Berry." Annoyed, the Latina rolled her eyes and waved her hand, although the wide smile was still firmly on her face. "We have to go look for our Halloween costumes for Brody's party so we actually do have to go… like, right now."

Santana stood up and pulled Brittany with her, walking towards their bedroom to change their clothes. "And don't forget to call Quinn!"

"Yes!" Brittany nodded vigorously. "Even if you don't tell her the truth, you can't continue avoiding your best friend."

"It's rude."

"Like, super rude."

"Alright, I will stop avoiding her." Rachel reassured them, pulling both of her hands up in the air. "And I'll call Quinn later tonight."

Santana and Brittany whispered something between them, giggled, and then said at the same time. "That's our girl!" before disappearing through the door of their room, laughing non stop.

Rachel, for her life, couldn't understand what was going through the couple's mind at the moment; but she was grateful, nonetheless, to have them on her side. Her conversation with both girls had opened her eyes a little bit; and even if she still couldn't exactly come clean about the entire situation, she sure as hell was going to fight for her friendship with Quinn. And she was definitely going to cherish as much of it as she could possibly get.

With that thought in mind, she picked up her phone and went into her room, ready to make the phone call she had secretly been dying to make since the day she decided to stop them completely. Yes, a part of Rachel was completely terrified at the prospect of her best friend finding out, but she missed Quinn Fabray's voice way too much; enough to fight her own fears.

The phone at the other end of the line rang once.

Twice…

"Hello?"

"Quinn… is Rachel."

* * *

_**Ok, so, rant time...**_

_**First off, thank you very much to everyone who reads, comments or simply just enjoys this story. It means a lot to know that I'm not wasting my time with it! :P**_

_**Second, I was feeling a lot off -emotionally- when I wrote this chapter... therefore I apologize if this seems off to some of you as well as it did/still does to me, sometimes I just can't help but letting my feelings take over what I write... it's like my therapy. I also want to let you all know that I'm taking prompt requests for one shots in my tumblr and that I wrote a new Faberry one shot (like only 100 words) that will totally make you cry... or so people say.**_

_**And last but not least: some of you have asked me how long do I think this story will be and although I cannot say for sure, I can assure you that it won't be longer than 15 chapters. **_

_**That is all. I hope you enjoyed this one and let me know your thoughts on it! xoxo Hajabeg**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Brave As A Noun**_

October has always been one of Quinn's favorite months of the year because Halloween was the holiday she adored the most. The blonde loved to see everyone dress up and go around the streets asking for candy and trying to out-scare each other. She loved the laughter and gasps and screams of the kids right after they got terrified because of something and she also loved when they cheered for getting a lot of goodies if a neighbor was feeling generous enough.

And that's where she was –in the park, watching the kids and adults and people of all ages going around the fair and playing the characters of the costumes they were wearing even though there was still one week left until Halloween– when her phone started to ring.

Quickly glancing at the screen, Quinn stopped breathing the moment she saw Rachel's name and face plastered all over her phone. Her emotions and feelings for the girl awakened at once and the blonde's heart was beating so fast she was sure that the organ had suddenly entered a running competition against Usain Bolt.

"Hello?"

"_Quinn… is Rachel._"

Immediately picking up the nervousness in the brunette's voice but not wanting to give away hers, Quinn decided to ignore it and instead said: "Hi you, it's been a while since we last spoke on the phone!" She scolded her best friend, only half jokingly.

"_I know,_" Rachel admitted, sounding somewhat ashamed. "_And I'm really sorry about that… but the workshop has kept me so busy, the school work never ends, and I just…_"

"Hey, it's okay." Quinn smiled softly. "I know how hard it can be. I'm barely keeping up with all my papers as well; believe me, I get it, all these professors always thinking that we only take their classes and therefore all the work they give us is never enough will actually be the end of me."

The brunette giggled at her words, making Quinn smile even more just by hearing her.

"How have you been?" the blonde asked genuinely, leaning against the trunk of the tree behind her. "Any news on the workshop front?"

"_A few, actually._" Rachel replied softly, with a small smile adorning her voice. "_The drama over there never ends._" The girl sighed contently and Quinn could just make out the sound of her best friend closing her bedroom door and then throwing herself on her bed, just like Rachel usually did whenever she was feeling particularly carefree. And Quinn couldn't help but close her eyes and imagine herself being there, too. Lying next to Rachel while they both talked each other's ears off just because they could. Oh boy, how much did Quinn wished she could be there.

"Tell me all about it, then." The blonde requested, already getting confortable because she knew Rachel would probably not stop talking for a while.

And that's exactly what happened.

Rachel talked for hours while Quinn just sat in the park, listening to her best friend's tales and falling even more in love with every word the brunette spoke. They joked, and they laughed and they told each other how much they missed the other.

Yet, Quinn never said anything about her break-up with Selene and Rachel never asked about that part of her personal life. It was easier like that.

Besides, Quinn had everything planned out.

"So, I received an interesting envelope two days ago, via mail." Quinn said, hours later, when the sun was already descending and Rachel had finished telling her all the workshop gossip.

"_Yeah? What about?_" Rachel asked, sinking even further into her bed. The phone conversation with Quinn was going extremely well –so well, actually, that Rachel couldn't even believe she had been stupid enough to think that putting some distance between Quinn and her was going to make her feelings go away–.

"The Robinson Theater Company is delighted to invite Ms. Quinn Fabray to our _Black & White Fall Event_, taking place next Friday at the Museum of Modern Art, starting at 7pm."

"_Sounds extremely fancy._" Rachel joked, already knowing what her friend was about to ask.

"So, how come I was invited?"

"_Seriously? Are you asking me that?_" Rachel chuckled and then sighed when Quinn hummed her confirmation. "_Matt's parents are the founders of the company, and he knows that you're my best friend. It's simple math, really_." She explained, and then as an after thought, the brunette asked. "_You are coming, right?_"

"I– yeah, of course I'm going." Quinn quickly replied. She had planned a surprise date for them, but she figured that taking Rachel out –as an after party– would work as well. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"_Good!_" Rachel replied, smiling as wide as possible. The brunette could actually picture Quinn in a black and absolutely stunning dress. Closing her eyes, Rachel could definitely see the blonde –with a gorgeous, shining smile and smoky hazel eyes– waiting for her at the top of the MoMA's principal stairs; ready to proudly spend the night as Rachel Berry's –future Broadway star– date. And the brunette was so caught up in her fantasy that she took a deep breath, ready to ask Quinn to be her date, when the blonde spoke… bringing back the cruel reality along with her words.

"Am I allowed to bring a plus one?"

Quinn asked the question jokingly, since she was planning to leave that night with Rachel by her arm. But the brunette, still in the dark about Quinn and Selene's break up, wasn't able to pick up the mirth in her best friend's voice.

"_Yes… umm… of course you can bring Selene._" The brunette confirmed, although dejectedly. "_Listen, Quinn, I have to go now because I… Matt's coming over, he needs my help with something and…_"

"No. I get it." Quinn replied, knowing that Rachel was lying but not wanting to pry. It was better to ask when they were face to face. "I'm glad we talked."

"_I am, too._" Rachel smiled, and just as she was about to hung up she remembered Santana's words and asked. "_Hey, with you… is everything okay?_"

Quinn remained silent for almost three seconds before she chuckled lightly, looking forward to the party and her surprise night with Rachel, "Yes, everything with me is more than okay."

"_Well that's… I mean,_" Rachel sighed, closed her eyes, and held back her sudden rush of tears. "_I'm happy for you._"

"Oh, I know you are." Quinn replied, standing up and looking at the sky before mumbling. "I'll see you soon, alright?"

"_You will. And I can't wait._"

"I love you," Quinn breathed into the phone, and she hung up just before she could hear Rachel replied back with an, "_I love you, too._"

* * *

"_What the hell, Fabray?_"

"You definitely need to stop greeting me like this." Quinn sighed into her phone, looking around the room and trying to find one of the T-shirts she wanted to take with her to New York.

"_I will when you stop being so damn dumb!_" Santana all but shouted back. "_Why on Earth didn't you tell Rachel about your break-up? Do you have any idea of what Rachel is–?_" Abruptly, Santana stopped talking. And the blonde would have been worried if it weren't because Quinn could hear the grunts and the argument going on between her best friends perfectly.

"_Give it to me!_"

"_I–… Britt, no!_"

"_Come on, you'll ruin it!_"

"_No, I won't!_"

"_We both know you can never keep your mouth shut!_"

"_Now, now, just because I love to be loud in bed doesn't mean that–_"

"Girls!" Quinn interrupted them before things got out of hands. She wasn't fond of hearing all about they sexcapades. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"_No, not at all!_" Brittany shouted, successfully drowning whatever Santana was about to say. "_We just… we're curious, I mean… aren't you in love with Rachel?_"

"I am."

"_Then why didn't you tell her about you and Selene?_" the Latina asked, sounding surprisingly calm. "_And even if not because of how you feel about her… Rachel's supposed to be your best friend, and last I heard, the first thing you always do after a break-up is run to tell your friends because you're sad, looking for someone to bitch about your ex with and desperate for comfort._"

"You're right," Quinn relented. "And I definitely would have told her if it weren't because I'm planning a surprise for Rachel."

"_What?_"

"_When?_"

Brittany and Santana asked at the same time, the excitement coming from them being entirely obvious.

"I'm going to ask Rachel to be my girlfriend," The blonde confessed. "At the Robinson event."

"_Yes!_" Brittany cheered, just as Santana demanded. "_Oh, Q, you have got to clue us on everything now!_"

"I totally saw this coming." Quinn sighed, sitting on her bed because she knew their call was going to last for hours. Besides, the blonde had given up trying to find her favorite t-shirt and since that had been the last item for her baggage, she was all packed for her trip. "Well, I guess I'll start from telling you both about my _12 Steps Plan To Conquer The Heart Of One Rachel Barbra Berry_. And step one begins with…"

* * *

The night sky was completely free of clouds, the air was cool but not freezing and the central stairs of the _MoMA_ were currently decorated with early Christmas lights and a mob of paparazzi.

"Do we really need to walk through the red carpet?" Brittany asked, looking outside the limousine window and then back to her girlfriend. "All those people with cameras look really scary."

"We do, yes." Santana replied, lowering her mirror and giving the blonde a reassuring smile. "But you don't have to talk to them and I'll be holing your hand the whole time, Britt." She leaned in to kiss her cheek and added. "You have nothing to worry about."

"You two are ridiculously adorable." A third voice, coming from the seat across them, teasingly said. "Honestly, I don't know if I should cry or slap you both because of the level of cuteness you can reach."

"Shut it, Berry." Santana snapped, narrowing her eyes. "Or I'll make sure that everyone remembers your first appearance in a red carpet for the rest of your future career because you walked down the damn thing with a black eye."

Hand immediately flying to cover her face, Rachel gasped, believing every single word. "You wouldn't!"

"Don't tempt me."

Rachel gasped again and Santana didn't stop herself from snickering at the reaction she got.

"Are you sure you're actually best friends?" Matt asked, fixing up his perfect hair and bowtie. "Because it seems to me like you both want to strangle the other 95% of the time you spend together."

"Oh, you would be surprised." Brittany giggled. "These two love each other more than they'll ever say."

"Whatever." Santana mumbled. "Are we getting this show on the row or what? I need my fancy champagne and snacks ASAP."

Rachel shook her head. "No, we have to wait for Quinn." The brunette insisted, looking at her cellphone and out of the window before focusing her attention back to an annoyed Santana. "I mean, I really don't want her to face the _paps_ by herself."

"But we have been waiting for half an hour!" The Latina complained. "And you know Quinn Fabray well enough to know that she'll work that carpet better than that Grace Kelly person ever did."

"Besides, it's not like she's coming alone." Matt added.

Rachel's eyes hardened and Santana could have swear she heard her roommate mutter something like, "yeah, of course, because I definitely need a reminder of that," before the boy kept on talking, completely unaware of Rachel's discomfort.

"We have to go in now, Rach." He announced, looking towards the sea of photographers pointing their cameras to where they were and flinching a little when he realized that they were absolutely waiting for him to get out of the car. "My family is expecting us." Matt added softly, resigned; but when Rachel looked at him with understanding eyes he rushed to add, in a much more light tone. "And hey, you know that our workshop could use some free publicity, too."

"I do." The brunette nodded, licking her lips and looking at her cellphone one last time before putting it away and turning to look at her best friends. "Please, make sure to tell Quinn to come find me when she gets here."

"No problem." Brittany smiled. "Now go on and enjoy this moment, we'll be right behind you!"

"Ready?" Matthew asked, smirking when he saw, once again, how stunning Rachel looked. The girl was absolutely dashing in her royal blue, floor-length gown. Her hair was falling down her back in soft curls and her amazing legs were in full display because of the aperture that came with the dress. "You look incredible."

"I was born ready to shine." Rachel replied, cockily, and then added. "And you look very handsome as well."

"Get out of here before I puke," Santana grunted. "I mean it." She reaffirmed them when neither of her friends actually moved.

"Okay, that's our cue to go." Matthew shook her head and turned to Rachel, "Walk you down the carpet? I'm sure the press will love me even more if I have a good piece of arm-candy with me."

"If only you were so lucky." Rachel replied with a serious tone; yet she stepped out of the car, taking Matt's helping hand and then sneaking her arm around his waist once they both were stable. "Let's show them a preview of what will be a very regular thing in less than a year."

"Oh, I'm sure they already love us." Matthew said, pointing with his head to all the flashes in their direction already going off.

"We are amazing together, were you actually expecting a reaction different than the one we're getting?"

"Not in the least." Matthew smiled, leaning towards the girl until he was close to Rachel's ear and whispering playfully. "Welcome to Broadway, Ms. Berry."

* * *

The hour and a half that Quinn Fabray had already spend at the event was enough for her to be certain of three things:

First. Everyone was absolutely in love with Rachel Berry.

She had arrived late at the red carpet because Kurt just couldn't decide how he wanted his hair to look. The blonde was staying with him for the weekend, in order to surprise Rachel, and they have decided to go as each other's date because Quinn needed a 'rebound' and Kurt was extremely sad for a reason he simply didn't want to talk about. But the moment they got there, a very proud Brody had grabbed Quinn's arm and then proceeded to tell her about Rachel's success when she faced the press.

Apparently, everyone had been expecting Matthew Robinson to show up because they wanted him to tell them all about his new project. What they weren't expecting, though, was for one completely unknown Rachel Barbra Berry to sweep them off their feet in just a matter of seconds.

Her warm personality had attracted them quickly, and all the reporters and photographers were so caught up in the brunette's beauty that, by the time Rachel had started talking –after enchanting the press with her charisma, showing more grace than any A+ celebrity and displaying a natural shine that only came with the knowledge that you were born to be a star– they were already all over her. Not to mention the fact that the moment Rachel stepped foot in the ballroom, she had many producers, directors and play writers from all over Broadway approach her to chat a little and… _to get to know the other_.

Kurt had told Quinn, later that night, that the common phrase was used a lot in the theater industry because it was practically the polite code for, "_let's keep each other in mind for future projects_".

The second thing Quinn realized was that Rachel Barbra Berry had finally found the world she was meant to live in. Her dream was becoming true and slowly, Rachel was making Broadway hers. And Quinn couldn't be happier. She couldn't be more thrilled because New York and Broadway were just the perfect place for her best friend, the very same place where the brunette just fit –perfectly and without a doubt–; her home.

And the third was that, ever since she arrived at the event, Rachel and Matthew were definitely touching each other a little bit too much.

"Well, you certainly look like you're about to cut a bitch." Santana said, approaching Quinn with two glasses of champagne in her hands. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing." The blonde said, accepting the drink and looking around, trying to find Rachel once again. "Where have you been all night?" she asked, since it was the first time she had crossed paths with Santana. "I haven't been able to talk to Rachel yet and Kurt left me all alone like 30 minutes ago."

"I actually had a message for you from Tiny but after walking down the red carper Brittany told me that I looked hot and… you know us!" Santana laughed under her breath. "We decided to pay the bathroom a visit together and we kind of got distracted, if you know what I mean by–"

"What's the message, Santana?" Quinn cut off her friend, anxious to know what Rachel had said.

"Oh, right." The Latina shook her head and turned around to point with her hand to a door behind her. "Rachel's at the balcony waiting for you and–" when she turned back to Quinn, the blonde was already halfway towards the door. "…I think she has been waiting for a while because I couldn't find you sooner." Santana added, even though her friend was long gone. "Ugh, lovebirds."

"You know we are just like them, if not worst." Brittany said, approaching her girlfriend and wrapping her arms around Santana's waist. "Does the beautiful lady fancy a dance?"

When she heard the horrendous British accent her girlfriend was using, Santana couldn't help but laugh. She turned around and kissed the blonde softly in the lips before adding. "With you, I fancy everything."

* * *

Rachel was starting to worry.

It had been more than 20 minutes since she sent Santana to fetch Quinn yet her best friend was nowhere to be seen. And she was impatient. Rachel wanted to see Quinn as soon as possible because for the brief moment she encountered Kurt, the boy hadn't shut up about how gorgeous the blonde looked that night and Rachel just needed to see that with her own eyes.

The door behind her cracked open and Rachel smiled widely, turning around and expecting to see her best friend, but being instantly disappointed when she saw Matthew's mother instead.

"Good evening, Mrs. Robinson."

"Please, call me Laura." She waved her hand, nonchalantly. "What are you doing out here, all on your own?" The elegant woman asked, pulling out a cigarette and asking Rachel, "Do you mind if I lit up one of these? I'm a bit stressed at the moment."

"Go ahead." Rachel replied, smiling as polite as possible. "And I just needed a bit of fresh air… the museum is so magnificent and the people inside it so important that the whole experience can become a bit overwhelming, especially when it's my first time attending such a prestigious event."

Laura nodded, understanding. "Matthew was right, you know? You're something else, Rachel Berry."

"Thank you," the brunette mumbled, blushing slightly because Laura Robinson was one of the most important names in the theater industry and Rachel had looked up to her for the better part of her entire life. "Although I'm sure he's supposed to say such things, given our relationship."

The older woman chuckled good-heartedly and added, "Well, I do hope he told you that you look incredible, as well." Rachel blushed more deeply and Laura couldn't help but laugh even more. "I'm glad to know that he still have some kind of game going on for him."

"Oh, believe me, Matthew Robinson could charm off the pants of _almost_ everyone in just a matter of seconds." Rachel replied, the emphasis in the word clearly because of Quinn's instant dislike of the boy. "And it doesn't hurts that he actually knows how to treat his date properly."

"Well, he clearly got his excellent manners from me." Laura finished her cigarette and smiled slightly, looking at Rachel with kind eyes. "Thank you, you know, for keeping me entertained while I relieved my stress."

"It was no problem at all." Rachel said, "It's always a pleasure whenever I get to talk to someone I admire!" The brunette admitted.

"And it's certainly always a pleasure talking to someone that loves my son as much as you do." Laura replied, the honest content in her voice being clearly present. "I hope you stick around for a long time, Matt can certainly learn a couple of great things from you."

"He definitely can." Rachel replied, cockily, although the smile on her face was as genuine as the happiness shining through her big, brow eyes. "And Matthew definitely will not be able to get rid of me any time soon, I love him too much for that to happen."

"Well then, let me be the first one to officially welcome you to the Robinson family, miss Rachel Berry."

"Thank you very much, Laura." The brunette replied, radiating happiness. "Although I'm sure my honorable place will be replaced when Matt–"

"Hey, Rach." Brittany interrupted her, walking up to both women with concerned eyes. "What happened to Quinn?"

"I haven't seen her all night." The brunette said, completely confuse. "Actually, she was supposed to meet me here but…" she trailed off, worry quickly replacing whatever was left of her confusion. "Why? Where's Quinn? What happened?"

"I'm not sure." Brittany shook her head; she looked at Laura for a split second and then focused her attention back to Rachel. "We saw her leave the museum in a hurry, and she looked upset for some reason. Santana went after her but I'm not really sure if she caught Quinn or–"

"I have to go." Rachel stated. Her heart was beating at a mile per second and she was feeling super anxious because a sudden sense of apprehension and trepidation was making her chest hurt. "Which direction?"

"The parking lot of the back exit."

The brunette was out of the door even before the taller blonde finished talking, leaving behind a very worried Brittany and an extremely confused Laura Robinson.

"Will they be okay?" the older woman asked. She really liked Rachel Berry and she would hate it if something bad were to happen to the young brunette. "Should I be concerned?"

"No, not really." Brittany replied softly, looking at the clear night sky and smiling to herself because she actually knew what was going on with Quinn. "After all, the first couple of sunrays after the storm are already shining through."

* * *

** Oh, hi, I'm back! I hope you like this one and see you the next time both work and school leave me enough free time to write :)**

**xoxo Hajebeg**


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